An Endless Road
by A Crooked Lullaby
Summary: [High School!AU] Sonic, Sonia, and Manic are back in school, ready to see their old friends and make new ones. And, to learn, of course. But, it seems not everyone is willing to forgive Manic for something he tried to put behind him. [Pairings: Silver x Blaze, Manic x Sally, and Knuckles x Sonia]
1. Back Again

**Admittedly, this was a spur of the moment story I thought of, but if enough people like it, then I may continue this!**

 **Please tell me what you think and enjoy!**

* * *

The dark, sleek car pulled neatly into the parking lot among a crowd of other vehicles, the sunlight causing it to gleam. The September air was beginning to grow colder despite the strong light beaming down from above. It was quiet inside the vehicle, three pairs of strange and vivid green eyes stared at the school, they had been coming here so long, some could claim they had memorized every brick.

After a moment of pure nostalgia, Sonic, Sonia, and Manic stepped out of the car, the doors closing behind them.

Sonic let out a low whistle, the blue hedgehog putting his hands behind his head, "Ah, Green Hill High School. I could've sworn this place got even bigger over the summer."

His sister scoffed, crossing her arms, taking little notice of the other students who were beginning to disappear into the building, "For all we know, it may have since they added some new classes. Speaking of which, I should take something different this year, make it more interesting!"

Her cerulean brother gave her a smirk that he was practically famous for, "That's the spirit, sis! You've been in band for too long, you need to shake things up."

"You're one to talk, you haven't been off the track team since they introduced one to this school!" Sonic just laughed at her indignant response, he honestly had no comeback for that.

Manic stood silent, stuffing his hands into his black jeans, self-consciousness written plainly on his face, eyes glistening with guilt that gnawed at the back of his head. He couldn't look at this place without regret washing over him, angry voices and scared yellow eyes flashing in his mind. He said nothing, but the uneasiness radiating off him wasn't gone unnoticed by his siblings. Sonic frowned sympathetically at his brother and Sonia placed a gloved hand on his shoulder.

"...let's not just stand here, let's go!"

Sonic cheerily exclaimed as to force the uncomfortable atmosphere away, his shoes clapping against the pavement as he hurried off toward the school. Rolling her eyes, Sonia huffed and took Manic's hand, chasing after their hyperactive brother.

Noise clouded the hallways as the trio entered, watching some students dash to find their friends while others had already found their group, the chatter only adding to the sound. The new kids stood around awkwardly, expressions startled and mouths agape or firmly shut in nervousness. Among the crowds, Sonic did pick out a few familiar faces, Espio and Vector offered him friendly waves before they disappeared down another hallway and Rouge was standing among a group of girls, talking about who knows what. The nostalgic emotions began to rise agan.

"Wonder who all isn't here anymore..." the blue hedgehog heard Manic mumble behind him, and that sparked his memory. He knew Mighty and Ray would no longer be seen around the halls, they had graduated last school year and headed off for college. He wasn't going to lie, that dampened his ecstatic mood, those two had been great friends.

"Sonic, hey!"

His ears twitched as a feminine voice once again prodded at his memory, a grin lighting up his features. Two girls were running up toward him, Amy and Sally. He had known the two since sixth grade, the two had become his unexpectedly close friends, he had been disappointed when he failed to hear from them when school was out. Amy instantly wrapped her arms around him and squealed excitedly, while Sally just laughed at her friend's energetic actions.

Sonic wasn't bothered and returned the hug, his own chuckling when Amy released him, "Good to see you too!"

"It feels like it's been forever, I hope you three had a good summer." Sally stated, giving Sonic her own swift hug before glancing over all three hedgehog siblings.

"Of course we did!" Sonia began, placing one hand on her hip and moving the other as she spoke, "We visited Emerald Coast, the place was simply lovely. The weather was pleasantly warm and don't even get me started on how many shops they had down there! I loved it~"

Despite her dreamy expression as she imagined being back at the beach, Sonic couldn't help but shudder, "Not me, too much water..."

While they laughed at the typical response, Manic let his eyes slide around to see what the other students were up to. Most continued to chatter away and move around restlessly, but he felt the stares burning into him, as if they were God and striking judgment down upon him. Glares blaming him for what he had done, ready to kick him out the door he had walked in. They were sparse but very much present, the stone cold eyes of a cat were locked onto him like he were a target, a group of variously colored canines sneered in his direction, even a teacher let his gaze linger on him, daring him to make a wrong move before disappearing into a room.

He sighed; he wanted to go home already.


	2. Troubles

**Thanks to June Dune for giving me the first review and trying to help with my writing! I went back and fixed my errors, if you'd like to see that.**

 **This AU may include some...not very traditional ships so I apologize if that's not your thing. This chapter isn't my favorite or very exciting...** **but, I hope you enjoy this chapter! The chapters after this should be longer!**

 **Also, I own nothing but some of the teachers who may show up later!**

* * *

"How is Tails?"

Sonic looked at Amy as the five friends walked down the hallway, her jade pools curious and genuinely wondering how the two-tailed fox was doing. He grinned, mind flashing to when his adopted brother saw him off that morning.

"Tails? He's doing just fine, I swear that kid's smarter than Sonia, Manic and me combined by now!" Sonic exclaimed, Sonia giggled in agreement but Manic looked ready to bail at any moment.

Tails had been living with the triplets as long as they could remember, he was the somewhat shy but incredibly intelligent little brother it seemed. He always thought so rationally for a boy only at the age of ten and never had trouble with school work. While everyone loved the unique fox, Sonic shared a unique bond with him.

"Hey, shouldn't we be getting to class...? We're going to be late..." Sally said, noticing the halls were growing less and less crowded.

"Aw, crap!"

* * *

Sonic and Manic walked into the classroom, expecting the bell to let out its shrill cry at any moment. The girls had other classes up the hall, so the brothers were on their own. Most of the students were either new or neither teen had ever spoken to, so Manic headed straight for a seat near the window without looking at the others. He was too worried about what he might see in their eyes. Sonic wanted to say something but his mouth refused to work.

"Yo, Sonic! Over here!"

The loud and brassy voice made his ears swerve slightly, emerald orbs landing on Espio and Vector who were sitting near the back of the classroom. Vector had a pair of headphones around his neck and Espio kept himself in dark, simple clothing. He could tell right away that those two hadn't changed a bit. Smirking and giving the crocodile a high five, Sonic plopped down in the seat in front of Espio, his navy blue backpack thunking beside him.

"I'm glad to see you two again! You guys have a good summer?" Sonic asked, leaning on the back of the chair and trying to ignore any other conversations bubbling in the air.

Vector spoke up first and gave a quick nod, expression jovial and bright, making him almost look childish despite his appearance, "You bet we did! I got to go to all sorts of parties and my parents got a pool installed in my backyard, not to mention we visited Grand Metropolis!"

Sonic's eyes widened, "You convinced your parents to take you to that futuristic city? That's awesome!"

The two gave another high five. A few students stared.

Espio cleared his throat awkwardly, only speaking whenever he had the attention of the two overly excited boys, "My family spent most of the summer traveling, we visited several landmarks and cities. Learning about various cultures..."

An obnoxious ringing interrupted any further conversation and the squeaking and pounding of shoes echoed from the hallway as last minute arrivals scurried inside, Sonic recognized Silver as one of them. The teacher walked in not a heartbeat later, the door closing as he strode across the room to his desk. His wide mustache and glasses that hid his eyes gave him a comical appearance, everyone knew him, he's been at the school too long for anyone not to. He was the only human in the entire school and no one knew why.

"Good morning, class. I am Mr. Robotnik, your science teacher."

"More like Mr. Eggman..." Sonic whispered under his breath with an arrogant smirk, a few students who were close enough to hear him tried not to laugh.

He let out a silent sigh and rested his head on his arms when the teacher began to give a lecture about the rules and consequences for breaking said rules. Since he gave this same speech every year, Sonic let his mind wander, eyes slipping shut as if he was about to drift off to sleep. Feeling worry suddenly creep under his skin, he caught a glance at Manic across the room.

Manic was staring out the window before his gaze hesitantly shifted to Silver, a frown was etched onto his face. The pale hedgehog failed to notice, too unnerved by the teacher's speech. Sonic wanted nothing more than to go sit next to Manic and tell him he shouldn't be so upset, but there was nothing he could. Silver was too kind to hold grudges, especially considering how many times Manic had apologized. Even comforting words would do little for him now.

His brother would have to settle this out himself. Sonic had learned that much.


	3. Hold Your Color

**I'm on a roll with these updates!**

 **Anyway, this isn't very long, but longer than the previous chapters. They'll get longer as the story goes on. Please don't mind if some characters are OOC, this story shows how some of them change over the course of the year. Keep that in mind!**

 **But aside from that, enjoy!**

* * *

Sonia had already found a lunch table to sit at, Amy and Manic sitting across from her. They just had to wait for Sonic and Sally. Amy was telling the siblings about her summer break, apparently it had been very dull due to her parents being busy with work, yet it failed to ruin her optimism for next summer. Sonia felt a pang of sympathy and admiration, Amy was rather lonely at home but it never clouded her cheer.

"Sorry we're late!" Sonia heard her other brother's voice from across the cafeteria, seeing him and Sally heading their way.

"Sheesh, and you're always bragging about being the fastest runner in school!" Manic flashed a grin and ceased drumming his fingers on the dull-colored table, just for a brief moment showing his old self.

Sonia couldn't hide her faint surprise but Sonic just laughed, sitting next to him and Sally took a seat across from the blue hedgehog.

"Sorry, it's just that we ran into Ms. Noble on the way here. She was really happy to see us again!" Sally explained, picking up the sandwich she had brought for lunch. Sonia wondered if the lavander porcupine was going to be in charge of the track team again this year.

"Yeah, she told me she was real pumped for me to be back on the track team!"

Sonia swore Sonic read her mind.

"Hey, you know what I heard?" Amy began, twirling one of her pink locks around her finger and letting her gaze drift away from her friends, "I know track doesn't start for a long while, but supposedly Shadow's not joining this year, I almost didn't believe it..."

Sonic nearly choked on one of his fries, carefully swallowing before staring at his friend with incredulous eyes, "Wait, seriously-? That's crazy! He was always so determined to beat me, him and Jet. Why would he just quit like that? He's too stubborn to just give up."

He looked wildly around the room, searching for any sign of his rival's striped fur or cold red eyes, but he didn't see him anywhere. Even Rouge wasn't sitting with him, she was talking with Honey and some other females he failed to recognize. He was tempted to go over there and ask her where Shadow was, but he forced himself to turn back to his meal. Track team wasn't going to be as interesting this year, he could tell.

"Maybe he just got tired of it, I know I would." Sonia chipped in, mouth turned upwards in a light grin and giggling.

Manic joined in, lips mirroring his sister's and he offered a wink, "Yeah, nobody could beat you, dude! Don't worry about it!"

Ironic words, but Sonic brushed that off and a smirk crawled onto his expression as well.

If it was one thing the three siblings shared besides their green eyes, it was their confident smirks.

* * *

"...and that's all for today on the history of the Anglo-Saxon period. Tomorrow we'll start Beowulf."

Sonic let out an audible groan as the bell rang out loud and clear, English class had never been his strongest subject and it never would be. He lifted his head, hearing the shuffling of feet and creaking of chairs.

He looked at the red echidna seated beside him and joked, "You understand any of that, dude?"

"It was fairly simple." was the terse reply he received before the taller teenager picked up his backpack and quickly left the room, catching up with Espio and Vector.

Sonic scowled, he was hoping to have a nice conversation with one of the new students but he supposed that guy was out of the question. He lifted his bag off the ground and headed for the door, trying to remember what homework he had gotten from his previous classes. The teachers weren't holding back this year, that much he knew already.

"Excuse me, Sonic. May I have a word with you?"

The cold voice of Mrs. Gryffon made him stop in his tracks, watching silently as the white eagle closed the door. He gulped and gave a nervous grin, surely he hadn't done something wrong already. He was prepared to cry out, "You can't prove anything!", at any moment.

Her yellow eyes stared at the hedgehog for a moment, as if assessing him or trying to figure out what to say. She ended up just sighing and crossed her arms, expression stern.

"I have your brother next period and I need to know, has he straightened up his act?"

The tone she used was borderline venomous and it shot anger through his blood. He had seen the looks Manic had gotten, he heard the whispers too, and it was just the first day back! They acted as if Manic was the only one to do any wrong in the school, there were plenty of other who stirred up trouble and did the wrong things. Scourge, Shadow, Rouge, Nack and his gang...Sonic could list them off.

Yet, he remembered where he was and who he was talking to. His temper was nasty and scary when lit, but he had to hold his tongue. He swallowed the words and replied as coolly as possible, "Yeah, of course. He feels really bad, you know."

"...is that so?"

* * *

Manic carelessly tossed his books into his locker, quite unlike Sonia who had neatly organized and decorated her locker already. He never really understood the point in that. Shrugging, he brushed his bangs out of his eyes and closed his locker. Just one more class and he could go home to see his parents and Tails and just relax.

As he turned to head towards English class, he nearly bumped into Sally. He heard her gasp and he nearly fell backwards, by some miracle recovering his balance.

"Oh goodness, sorry!" the brown-furred girl apologized, eyes showing her embarrassment and straightening out her sky blue shirt. Manic just offered a weak chuckle and shook his head. He had planned on continuing to class, but a hand grasped his and he quickly turned back around.

Sally's blue eyes were uncertain but she let go of his hand and spoke in a quiet but honest tone, "Listen, I'm sure today has been very difficult for you. You haven't been acting like yourself, and I understand that. But, don't let them get to you, please. If you need to talk, don't forget Sonic and Sonia will listen, or I will. Holding in your emotions was what..."

Manic stood there, green orbs unreadable and his hand twitched. She was right, he wouldn't be on the receiving end of all these harsh stares if he had just been honest to both his siblings and himself. He watched Sally look away uncomfortably, she really had been a good friend to all three hedgehogs. She never abandoned them despite how reckless they could be together. He was impressed with both her and Amy that they stuck around in spite of how he had acted.

He said nothing, but gave a firm nod and smiled. Yet, he felt there was something she wasn't telling him.


	4. Unknown Whereabouts

**Here's chapter four! This chapter introduces Tails and gives a little insight as to why he's living with the hedgehogs. I was thinking, while this story will mainly focus on the triplets, I would enjoy writing about the other characters as well. Perhaps give you guys a glimpse of what the others are doing and what's going on in the background. Let me know if you'd like that~ Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

Sonia and Sally waved goodbye as the pink hedgehog got into the car with her mother, the vehicle becoming a tiny dot in the distance. The two girls stood at the bottom of the steps leading into and out of the school, quiet for a few moments. Most students bolted the moment the bell signaled it was time to go and others were still keeping an eye out for their parents. Sonia was waiting for Sonic and Manic to actually come outside. Yet, Sally's mom was still at work so she would have to stay afterwards a while longer.

Sonia decided to check her phone since her brothers were deciding to take their sweet time inside the school. She leaned against the railing, green eyes staring intensely at the screen before an annoyed look crossed her expression.

"Hey, do you know the school's wi-fi password? I found a really funny video I want to show you but I don't want to use up my data."

Sally looked at her blankly for a moment, but then laughed, "I'm the principal's daughter! Of course I do!"

She took her friend's dark purple phone and instantly went to work, only pausing to look up and wave to Silver and Blaze as they left. With a satisfied grin, she handed the device back to Sonia, "There ya' go."

"Thanks! You're the best, Sally." Sonia was just pulling a pale pink pair of earphones from her pocket when two figures appeared in her peripheral vision, one cerulean and one green. Turning her head, she started to tease Sonic and Manic about how long they were taking, but she quickly shut her mouth. Sonic was barely holding back his temper with clenched teeth while Manic just wore a tired look.

"Time to go, Sonia. See ya, Sal." Sonic said, voice tense with bottled up emotions and headed for his car, Manic trudging after him. Sonia sighed and threw her backpack over her shoulder.

"I'll send you the video later." Sonia simply told Sally.

* * *

"Welcome back!"

After a car ride filled to the brim with a suffocating silence, it was a drastic shift to the triplets to be greeted so excitedly. Tails had rushed to the door the moment he heard the door creak open. His name sakes were weaving about with boundless energy and his expression radiated with youthful optimism.

The three felt their negative emotions fade away. They were home now.

"Hey to you too, little buddy!" Sonic returned his adopted brother's cheer and knelt down, hearing the door close behind him, "You have a good day back to school?"

"You bet! I got to see Cream and Charmy again, and I made a new friend! Her name's Marine, she's a little too hyper but really nice." Sonic thanked God that the innocent boy had a much better day than him.

Manic patted the fox's head in a brotherly manner before an elegant purple hedgehog arrived from the kitchen.

"I hope you three had an enjoyable day back as well." she stated in a gentle tone.

"Hello, Mother." Sonia and Manic almost greeted at the same time, the two side-eyeing each other. Sonic chuckled but hurried upstairs, he'd rather not explain to his mother how angry he was with some of the students and teachers. Tails wasted no time in following his idol.

The blue hedgehog tossed his bag near his desk and plopped onto his bed. He let out a long breath and stared at his ceiling. Today had certainly been interesting.

He sat back up when Tails walked in, the young child taking in the sight of Sonic's room. It was so simple, mainly having the necessities and not much extra. Sonia's walls were covered with posters and pictures, Manic's had some posters too and random knickknacks could be found around his room, yet Sonic's was rather plain.

"Need something, buddy?"

Sonic's question brought Tails from his aimless thoughts. He said nothing, instead choosing to sit next to the taller Mobian. He tilted his head and it was as if he could feel the suppressed feelings under Sonic's relaxed mask.

"You never answered Mom's question. How was your day back?"

That kid was too sharp for his own good.

Sonic broke eye contact and shrugged, his green eyes glancing at the small television sitting on his dresser, "It was fine."

That was at least the partial truth. He hated lying to the innocent fox, but no one ever told him about the things Manic had done last school year. He only seemed to see the good in others. He didn't need to know, not yet. Hiding the whole ordeal from him was hard enough.

"...if you say so." was all Tails mumbled.

Sonic heard his siblings coming up the stairs and Manic's door was closed instantly, while he heard Sonia humming as she likely began to take off her makeup.

"Sonic, where are my parents?"

The random question sent chills through Sonic's body and his full attention was on Tails again. The yellow fox held a serious expression that was edged with confusion. He had no idea how to answer, so he attempted to laugh it off, "What're you talking about? Mom's downstairs and Dad will be home any minute..."

Tails narrowed his eyes, silently saying, 'You know that's not what I meant'. If his whole family were hedgehogs, then he couldn't be blood related. Tails wasn't oblivious.

Sonic would like to know where his adopted brother's birth parents were too. According to his mother, even she had no idea where they had gone or if they were okay. They had been their neighbors for as long as Sonic could remember. Tails had been put on their doorstep before they vanished without a trace. Was he supposed to tell him that?

"...it doesn't matter, Tails. We're your family now." Sonic couldn't find another other words. He hoped Tails didn't press further.

That seemed to do the trick. Tails dropped the subject when affection made his eyes glow. He hugged Sonic and grinned only how a truly happy child can, "You're right, I couldn't ask for a better one."

Sonic returned the hug and silently let out breath he hadn't known he had been holding in. Tails was content with that answer now, but for how long?


	5. Confronting the Past

**Hello again! Chapter five is here, and this is where some trouble starts to stir...**

 **Also, the ships are now in the summary, they won't play a large part, but it's something nice for my readers who love their romance~ But, enjoy!**

* * *

"Come on, come on! Hurry up! We're gonna be late!"

Sonic was practically a blur of cerulean when he dashed out the door, nearly yanking the car door open and sliding inside. He tossed his book bag into the back seat and fumbled with the keys, but noticed Manic trying to slide across the hood of the car like they do in movies. He managed to do it, but it wasn't nearly as smooth or impressive. Sonic just rolled his eyes and playfully muttered as Manic got in the passenger's seat, "You're so stupid..."

His brother smirked and the back door was shut, Sonia looking around anxiously. Manic gave his sister a sour look while putting his backpack next to her, "You're the reason we're gonna be late, you took too long with your makeup. Way to go."

Sonia looked startled at first, but then crossed her arms indignantly, "Don't you talk Manic, you take longer in the bathroom than I do!"

The car came to life and interrupted anymore arguing. Sonic put it in reverse, pulling out of the driveway in a jerky fashion. The other two siblings held onto whatever they could and fear lit up their eyes. Sonic's driving was normally much better than this.

"Don't worry, we'll get there in time."

They noticed the glint in Sonic's eyes.

The car leaped forward and took off down the street, Sonic's grin widening as it steadily gained speed. His grip on the steering wheel was tight and adrenaline pumped through his veins. He felt as if he were running this quickly himself, a flash of color as he dashed past.

"We won't get there in time if we're DEAD!"

* * *

Sonia sat still in her desk close to the door, still a bit frazzled by her blue brother's incredibly reckless driving. At least they had gotten there in time, the bell had rung right after she found a seat. Letting out a deep breath, she fixed her hair as best she could. As much as she cared for her brothers, she wasn't sure how she put up with them at times. Alright, most of the time.

Ms. Iver was at her desk, scribbling something down before putting her pencil down. The dark green tiger's icy stare swept over the class, silencing any whisperers and Sonia felt herself feel a bit unnerved. The math teacher was very friendly, but something in her gaze caught most off guard. The tiger leaned forward on her desk and raised a brow, smirk slowly growing, "Who all did their homework?"

A few audible groans echoed from some of the students.

Sonia let herself shake with a silent giggle and place her completed worksheet on her desk. She glanced around, dark green eyes jumping from student to student, curious to see who had done their work. Nack was scribbling down some last minute answers, the weasel continuously casting glances at Ms. Iver as she weaved among the desks. Honey and Rouge looked completely prepared, handing their papers over with calm smiles. Yet, her search screeched to a halt as she noticed a green hedgehog in the corner of the room.

He wore a smirk with a exaggerated sharp teeth, a pair of red sunglasses was placed on top of his head. He wore leather clothing and his blue orbs were empty of care. His arms were placed behind his head like he was on vacation and relaxing. He reeked of arrogance. Sonia felt her stomach drop and she instantly thought of Manic. Worry flooded her senses.

Why did Scourge have to be here?

* * *

"Shadow!"

Sonic called out the other hedgehog's name when he caught the glimpse of black and red along the lockers. His shoes clapped against the tile and brilliant emerald orbs were met with tired garnet. Surprise flashed across Sonic's expression. Shadow normally looked so serious and on edge, ready to snap at anyone who even prodded at his nerves. Yet, now he lacked a certain fire in his eyes.

Maybe he was looking too deep into this.

"What do you want?" At least Shadow's irritated tone hardly changed.

"I'll tell ya' what I want!" Sonic exclaimed, a need for an explanation urged him on, "I want to know why you're not gonna be on the track team this year! We had a lot of fun racing each other, it made both of us better even if you won't admit it. Why'd you quit on me?"

Shadow stare was unwavering and a few students whispered, catching part of the confrontation. The darker teenager didn't reply, unreadable thoughts swimming in his red pools. Sonic tapped his foot, arms crossing and said something his siblings were all too familiar with, "I'm waaaaiting."

"Things change, Sonic."

That was all Shadow said.

* * *

Manic burst from the bathroom just as the bell for second period screeched. He snapped his fingers and cursed under his breath. Mr. Cohen wouldn't appreciate him being late. His bangs bounced as he hurried down the hallway, yet he barely stopped himself from crashing straight into someone who had just been carelessly standing in his way.

"Don't just stand there, sheesh!" Manic snapped, until he recognized the sharp-toothed grin and red sunglasses the other sported. His heart nearly stopped.

"Relax, it's just class."

Just his voice alone brought back memories Manic thought he had buried.

Feeling both fearful and hateful stares on him, burning his skin and conscious.

Cruel cackling echoing through the air, void of anything else.

A terrified, shivering figure on the ground.

Scourge took no notice of the other's incredulous staring, instead tilting his head and finding the twin golden earrings on his left ear more fascinating, "Whoa, those new? Nice. "

Silence.

With no response, Scourge changed his tactic. He faked an apologetic front, mouth forming into a false smile asking for forgiveness, "Listen, I know last year was a real mess with what happened with Silver. But that doesn't mean we can't still have fun. Let's start hanging out again, I can show you somethin' really cool after we get out of here."

"No." Manic managed to choke out, the rare feeling of anger creeping into his body, "I'm not taking that path again. A lot of people are still upset about it. I've disappointed them and I lost friends. Hell, I HURT a friend. It ruined me..."

Scourge just laughed, sounding too much like the laughter Manic recalled. He shook his head, as if disappointed by the other green hedgehog, "You care too much about what others think. They're all a bunch of soft saps here."

Manic growled and shoved past. He was better than that now. He was determined to leave what he did behind him just like he did Scourge.


	6. No Avoiding Him

**This chapter introduces Knuckles properly and Silver pops up, unfortunately for Manic.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The hedgehog siblings sat together at the lunch table again; all three were picking at their food and barely touching it. They were all troubled. It made the air tense.

"I saw Shadow in the hallway."

Manic and Sonia glanced up from their meals. Another short bout of quietness passed while Sonic didn't continue. He kept his emerald gaze on his tray. They exchanged a puzzled glance before Sonia decided to speak up, "And...what did he say?"

Sonic's face scrunched up a bit as he recalled the strange encounter in the hallway, "I asked him why he quit the team. He just told me 'things change'."

"Well, he's not wrong." Sonia replied, seeing no sign of the black hedgehog anywhere, "Seasons change, the moon has phases, people change..."

Another silence.

Sonia and Manic both had the same thought. Should they tell him about Scourge?

"Uh...hi..."

The somewhat timid voice came from Silver; the ivory hedgehog was standing near Sonic. The cerulean teenager turned his head and forced his encounter with Shadow away, "Hey there, Silver! Whatcha need?"

"Blaze isn't here today and...would it be okay if I sat here with you?" The voice was that of a shy child asking their parents for something they knew they wouldn't get.

Manic couldn't tear his gaze away from Silver. The white hedgehog's nervous yellow eyes, unsure expression, and dependency on others...he was sure it was his fault. Silver was a good-natured and childish student, it was difficult not to like him. He brought optimism and fun. Seeing him like this made Manic's stomach twist.

Sonic laughed and winked at the uncertain boy, "Don't be silly, of course you can!"

Relief flooded Silver's expression and he sat next to the fastest guy in school. A soft smile graced his lips, "Ah, thank you. I appreciate it!"

"What's wrong with Blaze, is she sick?" Sonia inquired after taking a sip of water.

"Yeah, she texted me this morning and said she had that twenty four hour flu, or somethin'..."

"Aw, geez. That's too bad." Sonia wondered if maybe she should go visit her feline friend after school.

Silver must have caught onto Manic's constant staring and noticed his expression, as his golden eyes shifted to the green hedgehog.

"Are you okay? You don't look so good..."

Silver was acting as if Manic had done nothing wrong.

* * *

Sonia gently put away her math book and looked at herself in the small mirror she had placed on the inside of her locker door. She gave an annoyed huff some a few strands of her pink hair wouldn't stay, attempting to flatten the rebellious locks.

"Excuse me, miss..."

The gruff voice startled her and she jumped. Her dark green eyes spun around to be met with startling purple ones. The owner of the voice, a deep red echidna, took a step back and put up his hands, "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you!"

Sonia narrowed her eyes before exhaling and running her fingers through her plume of hair. She closed her lockers, deciding to give up on fixing her appearance, and sighed, "It's fine, it's fine. What is it?"

"Uh...this morning I had car trouble and missed first period..." Despite his tough looks, the male almost appeared intimidated or nervous and Sonia wondered why, "...did we have any homework assigned? I can't find the teacher anywhere..."

"Oh. Well, you remember the worksheet she gave us on the first day and told us not to do the back?"

The echidna grinned slightly, "I'm guessing we have to do the back now?"

"Right you are." Sonia laughed and lost the faint tingling of annoyance.

"Thanks, really. My name's Knuckles." He held out his hand, expression still edged with nervousness but much friendlier.

"I'm Sonia."

They shook hands.

* * *

"I'm going to take volleyball."

Sally, Manic, and Sonic looked away from their lockers and at her in surprise. Sonia folded her arms over her chest and raised a brow, silently asking 'What?'.

Manic snickered, shoving his hands into his pockets, "Going from band to volleyball? That's quite an about-face, dontcha think? Besides, I thought you hated sports."

"I said I was going to try something new and I meant it." Sonia retorted, "And, I do. But Rouge was telling me about it and it sounded like fun. So I signed up."

Sally's thoughtful expression gave away that she was considering the team herself. Manic still wore his disbelieving smirk but Sonic just put a playful arm around his sister, "I think you'll kick ass, sis! You're stronger than you look, so I bet you'll be great at serving!"

Sonia wasn't sure if that was an insult or a compliment, but rolled with it anyway, "Thanks, Sonic! And make sure to keep your title on the track team, can't let that pompous hawk beat you!"

She gently pushed the blue hedgehog off her and they shared a laugh. Manic stared as a frown replaced his smirk.

The feeling of inferiority was sinking in again.

Sally put a hand on his shoulder.

* * *

The classroom sprung to life once the bell let out its cry that the day was over. Students scrambled and tripped just to leave the room and Manic just chuckled, hearing Sally join in beside him.

"I don't know why they run off so quickly," Manic began as he and Sally walked back into the hallway, "It's not like they have a certain amount of time to leave or somethin'."

The blue-eyed girl giggled and nodded in agreement.

The two had almost reached the exit doors when there was a faint buzzing noise. Manic looked confused until Sally's phone appeared from her pocket. She quickly answered the text she had received before putting the phone away again, "Sorry, I think my dad needs help with something. Tell Sonia and Manic I said bye!"

Manic grinned and nodded, watching her hurry down another hallway. He sighed in a contented manner and turned back towards the door.

A voice stopped him.

"We need to talk, Manic."

He spun around and expected Scourge to be standing there, arrogant smirk and all. He was ready to give him a piece of his mind.

But it wasn't Scourge.

It was Silver.


	7. Dance Between the Raindrops

**This is my longest chapter yet! I'll admit, this one is somewhat of a filler at some points, but still helps you understand some characters a little bit more.**

 **Oh, texts in this story will be _'typed like this'._ Enjoy!**

* * *

Manic felt his whole body go rigid and his heart pounded. He wasn't sure if this was better or worse than encountering Scourge.

"I'm so sorry." was all he could choke out.

Silver rapidly shook his head and concern filled his eyes, "No, no, you've apologized more than enough. Please, I honestly want to be friends again but that can't happen if you keep trying to avoid me and won't talk to me..."

A silence hung between the two as they just stared, worried yellow and anxious green.

"We use to be really good friends." the ivory hedgehog began speaking again, "Sonic's still a good friend of mine, but I had always found you easier to get along with. You were so easygoing and really funny; you tried to see the good in anything. I want to be friends again."

Manic couldn't wrap his head around it all. How could the younger teenager be so willing to forgive him? Hadn't he caused him to be lose his confidence and lean more on others? Hadn't he betrayed him in the worst way? The thought that this was all some guilt-induced dream crossed his mind.

"But I hurt you." His mouth spoke his thoughts in a single sentence.

"As long as you're not like that anymore..." Silver continued, taking slow steps toward the motionless hedgehog, "We can still be friends. I'm so sorry how you're being treated by the others. You're so much better now, I'm sure of it."

Manic opened his mouth to speak, but lost all words to say when Silver hugged him. His mind reeled and struggled to understand. He couldn't fathom this kindness. But when he did, he felt as if a burden had been lifted from his shoulders and his expression relaxed. He returned the hug. He had his friend back.

"Thank you, Silver."

* * *

Sonic sat on the hood of his car, fingers impatiently rapping against the metal while Knuckles and Sonia's conversation drifted in and out.

"Hey, you said your car messed up this morning. Does that mean your parents had to bring you?" Sonia asked, tilting her head as she leaned against the car.

Knuckles nodded, "Yes. I was about halfway here when it started making a really odd noise. I pulled to the side of the road and-"

About that time, a red truck faded with age pulled into the parking lot and stopped nearby. All three teenagers turned and spotted a dark-eyed raccoon driving the vehicle, a dark orange porcupine waved at them beside the driver. Sonia's puzzled look upon seeing the echidna's parents didn't go unnoticed by Knuckles, "I'm adopted."

The statement was so blunt and casual that Sonia was unsure she heard him correctly. Once it sank in, sympathy flooded her eyes and her mouth opened to speak. But, the crimson teenager shook his head and a reassuring smile appeared. He silently waved goodbye to the hedgehog siblings before jogging toward the aging truck, climbing in. Sonia watched as the vehicle exited the parking lot and disappeared into the distance.

"Since when were you friends with him?" Sonic broke the short silence, recalling that Knuckles was the one who would refuse to get into a conversation with him.

His sister casually shrugged, "Since today. We got to talk some between classes and he's actually a pretty nice guy."

A green figure caught the attention of both hedgehogs. Manic was walking down the stairs with Silver at his side. The two paused and shared a few words at the bottom, Manic's grin bright and Silver nodded. The ivory teenager put up his hand in a motionless wave while Manic kept his cheerful expression, quickly running up to Sonic and Sonia.

"What took you so long?" his sister instantly questioned and crossed her arms. Manic just shook his head and still retained his smile; it was as if he were too happy speak.

Wanting to keep his unexpected mood boost high, Sonic slid off the car hood and snickerd, "You won't believe this, Manic! It's the end of the first week of school and Sonia already has herself a boyfriend! Can you-"

Sonia punched him in the arm.

* * *

Manic gently hit his desk with a drumstick he had in his hand, green eyes on anything but his homework in front of him. Truth be told, the wooden stick tapping against the desk reminded him of something. He missed the small drums he had when he was younger. He would play those things nonstop with an unstoppable energy and Sonia would always barge in and demand that he stop. He snickered at the memory. He spun around in his black chair, gaze floating over the posters of bands and movies plastered on his wall.

Then, his door creaked open and he turned to see a yellow head peeking inside.

"Hey, little guy." Manic greeted with a laid back smile, his good mood very obvious "Need something?"

Tails shook his head and walked over to the green hedgehog, "Nope! Just wanted to see how you were doing."

The older boy chuckled and turned back to his homework, exchanging the drumstick in his hand for a gently used pencil. He let one of his hands hold up his head and a few bangs drooped into his vision, "I'm trying to finish this homework so I don't have to do it this weekend, but I feel like I'm doing something wrong on some of these problems..."

The two-tailed fox's face sparked with curiosity and stood next to him, listening as Manic tried to explain it to him, "See, I'm having to convert that into that. Depending which is the bigger unit, I'll have to multiply or divide. I've done both but it feels off..."

Tails looked over the paper and shrugged, using his finger to point as he spoke, "Oh, that's easy! They're both cubed, so you have to divide by that number, but three times."

Manic's eyes widened.

* * *

Sonic was leaning against his headboard and tapped away on his laptop, totally oblivious to the dark clouds culminating as the sun fell under the horizon. His lights were off; the only radiance came from his computer screen and the single lamp on his nightstand. Peach muzzle wearing a vague smile, he scrolled through the images that popped up on his social media page. He had scarcely logged in over summer break and was just now seeing the photos his friends had posted. One was of Vector in front of the new pool he had been talking about, winking and his face as excited as a small child on Christmas morning. A few of Amy's were of the younger teenager with friends: such as the pink hedgehog giving a peace sign while at the mall with Sally and Blaze, another group were selfies she took with Sally, the two alternating between genuine smiles and ridiculous faces. Sonic chuckled.

There was a sudden boom of thunder that even startled the green-eyed hedgehog, quills going rigid out of instinct. Footsteps pounded down the hallway while low growls of thunder rumbled outside and his door was opened all the way, a blur of yellow rushing towards him. He managed to slide his computer to the side in time before his little brother's small form latched onto his; his twin tails were fluffed out in alarm.

"T-Tails...?"

"I-I don't like thunderstorms, I don't like them..." Tails' reply was muffled since he had buried his head into Sonic's chest. The hedgehog relaxed when he realized the fox was just frightened. He shut his laptop before hugging the shivering boy, one arm wrapped around him and a hand on the back of his head. As brilliant as he was, Tails was still only at the tender age of ten and maintained that innocence. This had happened many times before.

"It's alright, it can't hurt you." Sonic comforted him, watching as lightning illuminated his blue themed room for a split second. Another ear-splitting roar of thunder seemed to shake the house. Tails yelped and his namesakes wrapped themselves around him, as if they could protect him. Sonic would be glad when these storms were stopped as winter would roll around soon enough. He hated seeing Tails so scared.

Sonic didn't let go as the storm raged outside, lightning cutting through the darkness and thunder shouting angrily. Tails would whimper and shake, clinging to Sonic as if his life depended on it.

They stayed like that even after Tails had fallen asleep.

* * *

Sonia wasn't bothered by the storm outside as she played on her phone, her ear buds blocking out the racket. She rested on her sides, pink hair sticking out and not put up at all, but she no longer cared at the moment. She raised a brow when her phone suddenly buzzed.

It was a text from Sally.

 _'Hey Sonia. Is Manic alright? I've been really worried about him this past week.'_

 _'Yeah he's okay. He seemed a lot happier after school so I think he'll be just fine :)'_

 _'Oh, thank goodness! I hope he goes back to being his old self again real soon.'_

Sonia gave a soft smile and silently agreed with her blue-eyed friend. The icy looks he got everyday were weighting down his carefree personality. She wanted nothing more than to stop in her tracks to give those judgemental Mobians a piece of her mind; yet she knew she couldn't do that. Her mind wandered as she let out a heavy sigh.

She wondered what it would be like to be perfect, to be unstoppable, to be untouchable. She wondered how it would feel to have nothing bother you. Insults would fall on deaf ears and nothing horrific would fall in your line of sight. Troubles would move right past you and storms would shy away without a fight.

She wondered what it was like to dance between the raindrops.

* * *

 **P.S. Thank my mom for giving me the idea for that last line.**


	8. Old Habits

**Thank you to everyone who has given me a review; I really appreciate it! I was unsure of where to take this story after last chapter, so if this chapter is rushed or poorly written, I apologize. This seems like a filler at first, but it ends up giving you more questions than answers. But don't worry, what Manic did will be revealed soon enough.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **P.S. Congratulations to anyone who spots the Sonic Underground reference in this chapter.**

* * *

Manic, Sonia, and their father were already at the kitchen table when Sonic made his way downstairs, Tails trudging after him. They watched the two sit down and their mother turned away from the dishes. Her eyes glinted and she smiled, "I see we've finally woken the sleepyheads up."

Tails gave a nervous laugh but the blue hedgehog shrugged and sat down; it would take him a while to truly awake.

Manic took the last bite of his pancakes, "You know, I just realized we have nothing to do today. Kinda anticlimactic after our first week of school."

Sonia tilted her head, eyes thoughtful before an idea popped into her head, "Hey, why don't we go to the mall? We have cash left over from our summer jobs."

Sonic scowled lightly, the fact that he only recently woke up making him unnaturally grumpy. His finger rapped against the wooden table, "No way, it'll be way too crowded today. Besides, there's probably nothing decent to buy."

"Going to the mall is better than just sitting around all day. Besides, Picture Day will be held by October so we all need something decent to wear!" The two boys groaned at the mention of Picture Day. They had nothing against spur of the moment photos or selfies, but having to dress up for such an occasion didn't suit them.

"No complaining, that's where we're going! I'll invite Sally and Amy too."

Sonia was really kind-hearted, but she could be so bossy.

* * *

Sally greeted the triplets outside the mall, sporting a long-sleeved white shirt and a sky blue vest along with dark blue jeans and dark boots. Her eyes lit up and waved, "Hey, guys! I can't remember the last time we did this~"

"Hey, Sal!" Sonic greeted with a bright grin, quite the opposite of his attitude that morning. Manic chuckled but nodded and Sonia waved.

"You seem to be in a good mood, today." Sally noticed how relaxed Manic appeared and there was a collected smile on his face that no one had seen for a while. He winked and kept his grin, "Of course I am! No reason to not be."

Sally stared for a moment before Sonic called out behind them.

"Hey, c'mon! I can see Amy waiting for us inside!"

"And he calls me bossy." Sonia muttered.

* * *

"Hey, this would be really cute." Sonia chirped, picking out a shirt that had a pattern similar to a ladybug's, though the red was a few shades darker, "I have a black skirt at home that would go well with this! Stylish and cute, but not going overboard..."

Amy hastily nodded in agreement while shifting through some nearby blouses, "Yeah, you should wear that for Picture Day!"

Sonic tapped his foot impatiently on the pale tile while the two pink hedgehogs took their time, "I'm waaaaiting."

"Why can't we just go on over to the guy's section ourselves? It'll be a lot quicker." Manic suggested while Sally stood beside him, seeming to share the boys' disinterest, though to a milder degree.

"Because you two won't look for anything to wear. You'll just goof off and waste time." was their sister's snappy response.

"Hey, wait a minute. I don't think I'll have to go over there."

Several puzzled glances turned toward Manic. He was fiddling with the racks nearby and suddenly pulled out a dress covered in pastel colors and donning a few frills, giving it a dated look. He put the clothing in front of him and his expression radiated of his old self, "This is definitely me."

Sonia groaned but Sally failed to hold in a laugh.

* * *

After everyone had left the clothing store, they split up to go wherever they wanted. Amy stuck to Sonia's side as they wandered inside another feminine store; though Sally stayed with the brothers when they walked into a store she had never been inside. The walls were lined with posters and shirts promoting various singers and bands, there was a small rack of CDs and she spotted accessories closer to the back. Sonic grinned and lead her to the CD rack.

Manic broke away from the two, eyes scanning the walls and smirked as he had a handful of the posters and shirts. He eventually drifted toward the back and found himself among the accessories, from earrings and bracelets to vivid hair dye. He chuckled and flicked the twin earrings in his left ear, then noticed the small container of bracelets. What caught his attention were the spiked wristbands that were too much like his own. He looked down. His were showing their age, the black material showing cracks and dulling in color, "I could use those..."

"Hey there, darlin'."

The thick voice was Rouge the Bat; her aqua orbs locked onto him and a playful smirk only added to her mischievous appearance. He gulped nervously and didn't speak. What did she want?

Her gaze floated down to what he had been looking at, noticed his bracelets, and her grin grew in the slightest. She took a few steps forward and tilted her head, "Those things are way too overpriced, you know. There's an easier way to get them. You could just...forget you put them in your pocket."

Eyes half-lidded and glowing with a mysterious spark, he had seen that look before. He had seen it while he was on that self-destructive path.

Three figures struggled to muffle their laughs and saw everything as a target.

Their hands twitched with adrenaline and impatience.

One moment he was ready to give her a sharp retort about how he wouldn't sink that low again, the next he found himself with a handful of bracelets ready to be placed inside his fanny-pack. He took in a sharp intake of breath when he realized what he was doing; he could feel Rouge staring intensely from behind him.

"Manic!"

Never in his life had Sally's voice scared him so much. He tossed the accessories back into their container and spun around, heart racing once his startled green eyes met her blazing blue ones.

"What's wrong with you, sugar?"

Rouge's inquiry went unnoticed and the brown-furred girl instead narrowed her eyes dangerously, grabbing Manic's hand and dragging him off.

* * *

The car was thick with silence and tension; Sonic's grip was tight on the steering wheel and his eyes were sternly focused on the road. Sonia had her arms crossed and refused to make eye contact with either brother, though her expression was blank so who knew what thoughts were bubbling in her head.

Sally had spoken to Sonic and Sonia once she dragged Manic out of the store. He had no idea how much she saw or what she told them; but Sonic had stated that the triplets were going home with a strained voice and they left, barely saying goodbye to their friends.

Were they angry at Rouge? Were they angry at him?

Manic felt his stomach twist into uncomfortable knots, growing tighter and tighter the more he thought. He had no right to claim he was better than he use to be if he was still letting these old habits take hold. He wanted nothing more than to apologize, but he worried it might trigger something. He didn't want a repeat of that April night.

He silently sighed. They couldn't even go to the mall without him ruining things.


	9. Guilt

**Another chapter only a few hours after the last one was posted! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter since we finally get to see Blaze! And some Shadow! And Knuckles~**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Manic slowly trudged into the school and kept himself behind Sonic and Sonia. It had been tense all weekend, anytime he tried to speak to them, they gave short replies and wouldn't look at him. Their parents tried to question what was wrong, but no direct answers were given. He didn't understand. Had he messed up that bad?

He sunk into the seat closest to the window like he did in most classes; in the corner of his eye, he saw Sonic sit near Vector and Espio. Letting his bangs fall in front of his eyes, he allowed himself to hide his head in his arms. The conversations buzzed in his ears but he didn't care enough to listen. All he could think of was the disappointment in his siblings' eyes. It was too much like last year.

It was about that time when someone tapped his shoulder and he snapped his head up, worried it was the teacher. He blinked until his blurry vision cleared, seeing Silver's face full of concern. The green hedgehog sighed and forced himself to sit up. He hadn't even spoken yet when Silver blurted out of worry, "Are you okay; did something happen-? You look really down..."

Manic just laid his chin on his arms, shaggy bangs bouncing limply as if they were as depressed as he was. Silver cast his gaze over to Sonic and frowned when the blue hedgehog seemed upset too, though anger was much more prominent. The ivory teenager put his hand on Manic's shoulder and whispered, "Sit with Blaze and me at lunch. We can talk then."

* * *

Sonia neatly organized the books in her locker, sitting her math book beside the binder she used for that class and let out a deep breath. Her emotions were all over the place and she knew she needed to relax. She spotted a familiar red figure in her mirror and she turned around, "Hello, Knuckles."

"Uh, hey..." the echidna had obviously sensed her distress; it was obvious by the look on his face, "Is everything okay? I noticed you look...mad. So did Sonic. And Manic..."

He trailed off like he was thinking, and before she could answer, he growled, "Did someone do something to you or one of your brothers? Do I need to kick some ass?"

"Calm down, you knucklehead." Sonia was somewhere in between annoyed and amused by her new friend's short temper and protective nature. They may have only known each other a few days, but it was all too easy to read Knuckles. She rolled her eyes, "It's nothing to worry yourself with, I'm fine. Really."

Knuckles just frowned.

* * *

Manic allowed the cafeteria lady to place the slices of pizza on his tray before he glanced around, trying to spot a pale hedgehog and a lavander cat among the tables. His green eyes found them beside a crowded table that Knuckles, Espio, Vector, Honey, and several other students he couldn't name. He sat down beside Silver, daring to look over at his siblings. They were sitting with Sally and Amy, though there seemed to be very little conversation going on.

"What, not going to say hi?"

He almost jumped and looked at Blaze sitting across from him. Her gentle smile and kind golden eyes made it no surprise that Silver was so close to her. He nervously laughed, "S-sorry. Hi Blaze, hey Silver."

The feline laughed softly before her expression turned stoic. Silver put down his soda can, "So, what's bothering you? Why are Sonic and Sonia acting so...weird?"

Manic hesitated at first as he really didn't want to repeat what made so much guilt hang over his head, at least more so than usual; but their eyes were so understanding that he couldn't stop himself, "The three of us went to the mall yesterday with Sally and Amy. At first we were at some clothing store since Sonia insisted on finding something for Picture Day, but then Sally came with Sonic and me to another store. I headed to the back and found something I wanted, that was when Rouge showed up."

He paused and the two friends were watching intensely. Blaze glanced over at the bat sitting across the room while Silver tilted his head like a confused puppy.

Manic continued, "She told me that they were overpriced and that I should just take them. I was ready to give her a piece of my mind, but before I knew it, I had grabbed some stuff and was ready to take it..."

He squeezed his eyes shut but kept going, "Sally saw us and I put the stuff back real quick. I don't know how much she saw or what she told Sonic and Sonia, but they don't want to talk to me now. I'm so stupid..."

"Hey, don't say that." Blaze retorted, leaning forward and making sure Manic's eyes were on her, "You took a wrong path last year, you can't shake off everything like it never happened. We know you're sorry and that's good, but some things are still going to stick around until you force them back."

"Yeah, Blaze is right!" Silver chipped in with his eyes shining with a blinding hope, "You'll still make mistakes, but don't let them rule you. Apologize to your siblings and explain how you feel. They'll help you through this, we will too!"

Manic wasn't sure he could take all this kindness. They were so forgiving and understanding; he didn't know where they got it from. He blinked away tears and genuinely smiled, "Thank you, both of you. You're right, they'll understand."

They both nodded happily, sharing a cheerful expression and encouraging eyes. Feeling his mood lift up tremendously, he smirked, "So, are you two dating?"

The looks on their faces was priceless.

* * *

"Rouge told me you got in trouble over the weekend."

Manic glared at the other green hedgehog. Scourge laughed and leaned against the lockers while students bustled back and forth, "I knew you still had it in you! Does this mean you're back in?"

"No." Manic's fists clenched and he shook his head. He just wished this jerk would leave him alone. "That was an accident. Besides, I still hurt Silver because of you. Why should I be friends with you again?"

"You're acting like Silver was the only one who was hurt." Scourge said with a dark grin.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you know you're the reason Shadow quit running?"

* * *

The final bell rang and Manic jumped to his feet, as did the rest of the class. He pushed himself forward among the crowd of bodies, mouth twisting into an irritated scowl. It was ironic that he and Sally were talking about how ridiculous it was to be so anxious to rush out of the classroom not long ago.

He broke free and stumbled into the hallway and scanned for any signs of Shadow. He needed to find his brother's rival and apologize. The negative emotions he had been dealing with forced him to take it out on everyone, even friends like Silver and students like Shadow. What would Sonic think if he found out he was the reason the track team wasn't going to be as exciting this year? Manic shuddered. He and Sonia were angry enough at him as it was.

"Shadow, wait!"

The black and red hedgehog paused in his tracks, turning to see the green form at the top of the steps. His tan muzzle bore its usual frown and his expression bespoke annoyance and another emotion Manic couldn't figure out. The crimson-eyed teenager let a sigh pass his lips, "What is it you want?"

"Is it my fault?" Manic blurted out, completely ignoring any students who demanded he needed to get out of the way or casted him dirty looks. They weren't his priority.

"Pardon?"

"Is it my fault that you quit the track team?" Thoughts and apologies flooded his mind too swiftly and he began to tumble over his own words, "If it is, then I'm so sorry! What I told you isn't true at all, I was just bitter and being a complete douchebag! Please take track again, you're the only one in sc-school who can offer any kind of challenge to Sonic and...and-"

"Shut up."

Manic did just that and flinched, expecting Shadow to shout back about how it was too late. He was waiting for rage to contort his collected mask, but it never did. The striped student turned around completely and crossed his arms, "Stop with the apologies. You really think I'd quit just because of something you said while you were allowing jealousy to consume you? You really thought I believed you when you told me I could never beat your brother no matter what I did? Don't be stupid."

Manic didn't know if he should be relieved or confused, "Then...why?"

"I just don't find it enjoyable anymore."

He walked away before anything else could be said.


	10. Played A Part

**Here's chapter 10, a milestone! Whoo! Anyway, I don't really have any other comments on this chapter other than I'll probably start skipping time more if nothing interesting happens between that time. Oh, we get to see Tails act a bit like a teacher in this chapter, heheh!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"Welcome home, children." Their mother greeted them softly, standing near the stairs and her expression gentle.

"Glad to be home, mom." Sonic offered her a grin before quickly moving up the stairs. Sonia gave her own reply before following her blue brother and a door closed.

Aleena still felt that uncomfortable tension in the air, it caused her to tug at the sleeves of her pale shirt before her gaze fell on Manic, "Are you positive everything is alright between you three? Ever since the mall, you've all been so quiet, and you look so upset."

The green hedgehog put a hand to his head, running it through his bush of wild bangs. He shook his head with a determined look, "No, everything's not okay. But I'm going to fix that."

* * *

"Hey, let go of me!"

Sonia struggled and scowled as Manic held her arm in a tight grip; if he wasn't her brother she would have already thrown him to the floor. She was dragged into Sonic's room, the other brother staring at the two in utter confusion, and Manic shut the door.

"We need to talk."

Sonic crossed his arms and raised a brow while Sonia huffed, adjusting her ruffled shirt. The three stared for a heartbeat until Sonic broke the silence with narrowed eyes, "About what? The fact that you almost did something that you promised you would never do again?"

Manic flinched, but Sonia continued her blue brother's thoughts, "You know Rouge is bad news, Manic. I thought you knew better."

A heavy quietness fell over the triplets as shame continued to pulse through Manic. They really were disappointed in him. They truly thought he wouldn't do anything like that again. But, he had to remember what Silver and Blaze told him. He would need their help.

Swallowing nervously, Manic felt his voice strain, "Listen, I'm sorry. I really am. Just that one incident could have caused a repeat of last year; it's a slippery slope. I'm sorry that I'm not as great as you two; I'm not as smart or talented, but I try and I can't go back to being myself without your help." He clenched his fists and his expression was pleading, frown etched on his face and eyes honest, "I'm not that strong."

Sonia's stomach twisted as those words rung in her mind, calling back a memory.

Manic had said something similar to that last school year; though angry tears had been rolling down his face and his voice was tight with rage and jealousy. There had been so much yelling the day he was found out.

"Stop talking down on yourself like that. That was something else you said you would stop doing." Sonic snapped and he got to his feet. Irritation edged his expression, but it quickly softened as he realized how he had been acting. He rubbed his arm and shook his head. "I'm sorry too, I must have made you feel like crap. You're not all to blame; we should have made sure you were feeling okay last year. You might not have these habits if we paid more attention. We all played a part."

Sonia hastily nodded and stepped forward, "We weren't really mad at you, we were angry with Rouge and ourselves. At least you know that it's not right; that's the important thing. We can all work to become better."

Manic felt his heart swell and quickly pulled his siblings into a hug. Sonic let out a soft laugh and Sonia's eyes closed as she smiled. They stood there, merely grateful for each other in that moment.

* * *

Manic groaned and scratched his head, his bangs rustling in retaliation. He still had to do conversions for homework, but now Ms. Iver wanted them to convert between the metric and customary systems and it was making his head hurt. At this point, he was trying to find anything to do other than the worksheet in front of him. Right then, he got a text. Perfect timing. He picked it up and a small spark of worry lit up inside him. They hadn't spoken since she found him almost stealing at the mall.

 _'Manic are you feeling okay? I'm sorry for not talking to you today but I was scared that you were mad at me'_

He blinked and paused, thinking for a moment. Of course she would think that, she must know how his siblings had been acting if she sat with them at lunch. He was just glad that had been settled.

 _'I'm just fine, don't worry! :D I made up with Sonic and Sonia after school so it's all good. And I'm not angry with you, it was probably for the best that you saw me when you did'_

 _'Thank goodness! As long as you guys are okay ^^'_

Manic glanced over his shoulder and smiled when he spotted Tails coming in. He spun around in his chair, "Hey there, buddy! Come to help me with my homework again~?"

The small fox seemed surprised that he was suddenly so cheerful after seeing nothing but shame on his face all weekend; he did question it though and returned the smile, "Do you need help again? Goodness, those teachers must be harsh!"

He stood beside Manic and glanced over the page. His large blue eyes tilted his head and scratched his head, "This is a lot different from last time."

Manic went to agree with him, but his phone vibrated with another text from Sally.

 _'Oh I know it's early in the week Amy wants to know if you guys want to do something this weekend. Like bowling or something'_

 _'I wouldn't mind but I'll ask Sonic and Sonia later just to make sure'_

Tails raised a brow, "Who are you texting?"

"Sally."

"Oh, the one that always wears blue! She's cool." the two-tailed boy grinned before pointing at the worksheet and beginning to explain, "On some of these, it looks like you have to convert some of these into something different before you can actually solve the problem..."

Manic's phone lit up as another text from Sally came in.

 _'Alright! We haven't gone roller skating in a long time and we could go ice skating around winter time'_

 _'Good luck trying to convince Sonic to ice skate, he'd probably be too afraid that the ice would give way :P'_

Tails looked a little annoyed as Manic put the phone down, but continued the explanation, "Like this one, it wants you to convert those..."

His phone buzzed again and he looked at the text.

 _'Aw, you're probably right! Poor guy :0'_

Tails forced the older boy to put the device down and his cheeks puffed out childishly, "Stop texting your girlfriend and focus."

* * *

Sonic sat beside Tails as the family sat around the table, the smell of chilli fresh in the air. The blue hedgehog grinned at the two chilli dogs on his plate and the aroma teased his nose. He wasted little time before beginning to chow down; his mother gave an amused smile and Sonia rolled her eyes. Tails stared at Sonic and tried to copy the older boy; he wanted to be just like him so much.

"Sonia," their father began from the end of the table, "Isn't your first volleyball game this week?"

The pink hedgehog nodded and took a small bite of her food. She had attended every practice and she was ready, "Yes, it's this Friday. We're going against Central City High; they're coming to our gym."

"Heheh, I bet you guys will wipe the floor with them!" Sonic smirked.

The triplets laughed while Aleena spoke up, "I hope you'll be ready for track, Sonic. You have until spring, but you can't allow yourself to get rusty."

"I wouldn't worry about it, Ma." Manic grinned widely, "He eats junk food almost all the time but it doesn't slow him down at all!"

Everyone laughed. It was times like this that made Manic wonder why he was so angry with his family last year.


	11. Curiosity

**This chapter...uh, I have little to say about this one; other than some OCs appear and make cameos. Thank you for the continued reviews, especially June Dune!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The following week went by with little incident, Manic managing to avoid Scourge and Rouge while Knuckles began to spend more time with the hedgehogs. He even formed a sort of friendly rivalry with Sonic. He would sit with the siblings when not with Vector and Espio, showing himself to be an odd combination of a protective egotist and kind-hearted friend.

It was like that until that Friday, the night of the volleyball team's first game.

* * *

Sonic zipped across the gym, Manic and Knuckles struggling to keep up, and sat himself on the closest bleachers. He grinned and crossed his arms, allowing his emerald orbs to scan the large area. Manic plopped beside him and Knuckles groaned as he sat right behind them, "Sheesh, do you ever just walk, Sonic?"

The cobalt hedgehog snickered but didn't reply. It was almost time for the game, most seats taken and the vacant air crackled with conversation. The three sat quietly, though Manic grinned when he spotted Sally coming their way with Amy, Blaze, and Silver. The blue-eyed girl sat next to him and the other three managed to find nearby seats by some miracle. Sally smiled, "Is Sonia nervous?"

He shook his head and smirked, "Quite the opposite, she's ready. She was talking about it nonstop on the way here~"

"Of course." Knuckles put in, crossing his arms and wearing an expression like he was proud of the female hedgehog, "She's confident and knows our team will win."

Amy grinned knowingly, but all attention was directed to the court once they realized the game was about to begin.

* * *

The atmosphere was tense with the score nearly tied; Sonia was on the floor with Rouge, Wave, and a few other female students. Despite their faces either showing confidence or seriousness, there was a certain determination to them. Their green-themed clothing was startlingly bright compared to Central City's gray and white clothing.

Sonic's and Manic's throats were nearly sore from their loud cheering, though Amy and Knuckles still looked ready to yell out encouragement at any moment. Blaze had stayed quiet throughout the whole game, yet her face was intense and gave away that she was more immersed in it than what appeared. Sally mumbled under her breath, "C'mon, you guys can do this..."

The volleyball was launched into the air and Sonia hit it right back at the other team with both precision and strength. A slight scowl snaked across her muzzle. She was determined to win this. It was hit back and forth quite a few times; Manic almost found himself in a daze just watching it jump around. Finally, one of Central City's members hit it awkwardly and it went straight in Wave's direction. The purple swallow's eyes widened and she stepped to the side, watching it land out of bounds.

Jet's pompous laughter burst from another set of bleachers and Storm smirked. Wave winked and clicked her tongue.

Manic's gaze darted to the scoreboard, "If they can manage to get another point, they'll win."

"I know they can do it." Silver quietly said beside Blaze.

It was Sonia's turn to serve. She brushed some stray hair from her eyes and tossed the volleyball into the air, jumping and spiking it with a loud smacking sound. It sounded painful, but the ball ripped through the air and slammed onto the other team's side before anyone could react.

The buzzer cried out; the game was over. Green Hill High won.

Several people jumped to their feet and cheered; Silver and Blaze were among them. The ivory hedgehog was so caught up in his celebration that he tightly hugged Blaze and failed to notice her vivid blush. He just radiated of joy and she didn't push him away. Manic smirked at them before getting to his feet and joining the others in their ecstatic shouting.

* * *

"Excellent game, girls!" Mrs. Holland exclaimed, the auburn husky unable to contain her excitement. The coach's tail wagged back and forth while her players shared the thrill of victory. Sonia and Wave gave each other a high five while Rouge seemed even more proud that usual. Sonia was still buzzing with adrenaline, energy pulsing through her veins and competitiveness gave her an edge, "We won our first game! Can you believe it?!"

"I can!" called out a cheetah teammate and a dusty brown mouse chirped beside her, "That was so awesome! I hope we do that well in the next game!"

Mrs. Holland cleared her throat and the girls settled down, her silver pools passing over her team, "Yes, you girls did very well tonight. There was little trouble with you getting along and working together. Poppy," she nodded at the mouse in the middle of the group, "You were very quick and your reflex was excellent."

Poppy shyly smiled while the coach turned to Sonia, "And that spike at the end was superb, Sonia! It was both strong and controlled, keep it up!"

Sonia felt her heart swell.

* * *

Once Sonia met up with the others, the group of friends paused near the exit to excitedly chatter about the game. Sonic went on and on about how he was right about her being good at volleyball. Sally and Amy continued to compliment her on her performance. Sonia took in the praise and let it fuel her joy. Manic stood out of range after he congratulated his sister and was staring thoughtfully at the ceiling. Sonia had proved tonight how skilled she was at volleyball and Sonic would ace track team, he always did. His siblings were so talented. Mixed emotions stirred in his chest, forming an uncomfortable mess. He looked to his right when he noticed red in the corner of his eye.

"Hey, can I...talk to you for a minute?"

The uncertainty filling the echidna's voice caught Manic off guard, but he could only wordlessly nod before being dragged outside and down the stairs. They moved into the corner where the edge of the stairs met the brick wall. Knuckles hastily looked about, watching for prying eyes or someone standing too close that they might hear. Manic thought he was about to confess that he was an escaped criminal with the way he was keeping watch. A sudden gust slammed sheer cold into him and he shivered; he would have to abandon his small black jacket soon, "Wh-what is it, buddy? It's freezing out here..."

Once he was satisfied that no one was spying on the two, the echidna locked his purple eyes with Manic's green ones, "Uh...I wanted to ask Sonia this for a while, but with what I've seen, I figured it would be best to ask the source. Please don't get upset, I just want to know..."

Knuckles looked so hesitant that Manic was getting genuinely worried. He frowned and shoved his hands into his pockets. He tilted his head, then Knuckles spoke.

"What did you do last year?"


	12. The Truth

**Here we are. This is what Manic did last year; June Dune was on the right track. I don't feel like this is my best work but I tried my best, I promise! I hope you enjoy.**

 **There's a flashback that's _italicized_.**

 **Warning: Self-hate mentioned throughout**

* * *

Manic's heart sunk.

Knuckles hastily added to his question, "It's just that I've seen the looks you've gotten and heard the whispers. Honestly, it's hard for me to not punch them in the face because you seem like such a nice guy..."

There was nothing Manic wanted more than for Knuckles to drop the subject and forget about it, but that wouldn't happen. Even if he refused to talk about, the echidna burned with an uncontrollable stubbornness that would lead him to get the truth one way or another. He might as well just give up now.

Manic closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.

"School started out normally for us last year. There was nothing unusual; Sonic was pumped for track team and Sonia signed up for band again. The teachers were the same, our friends were there...totally normal. It took some time to realize it, but I slowly noticed something. Sonic was very popular around others for his legendary speed and personality, Sonia was talented in almost anything she did and was strong and smart. I wasn't disliked or anything, but I wasn't noticeable either. I was just there. It wasn't that I craved popularity, but I hated being their average brother. They were, and still are, great at everything while I'm stuck in the background. It was probably something I had felt for a long time but refused to acknowledge it..."

Knuckles was silent, so Manic continued, "So, I began to feel inferior to them. I doubted my worth and drifted from my family. I talked less and was no fun to be around as I became increasingly negative. That was when I began to hang around Scourge. He said he knew what I was feeling and offered to let me join him. He said that he would make me greater than Sonic and Sonia. We would talk in the hallways and after school and stuff like that. It started with us talking bad about everyone and insulting the occasional student. Then, it slowly got worse. We would harass others for no reason, we would sneak around and steal with Rouge and cause trouble around the school. Teachers would keep a very close eye on us during class and students stayed out of our way. My siblings spoke little to me during that period and I ignored any scoldings from my parents. I knew what I was doing was wrong and it ended up just making me hate myself more. But I couldn't stop, like it was a trance..."

He felt a ripple of guilt crawling under his skin, "Silver was one who was regularly bullied by us; I'm not sure if I remember exactly why. Maybe it was just because he was innocent and trusting. An easy target. We pushed him around and insulted him and he would just take it. Even if we saw him outside of school, we'd go after him. But then..."

"Then...?"

It was then that Manic shuddered and he began to trip over his words, "Towards the end of the y-year, we cornered him behind the school. It was the normal teasing and pushing around, but he fought back th-this time. He said he was tired of it a-and...he was through. He was mostly mad at Scourge and shouted about how it was all his fault I was acting the way I-I was. Before I knew it, Scourge had punched him in the f-face and was ready to do more damage. I didn't know how to react. Silver tried to run but Scourge told me to grab him. I don't know why, but I did...and we st-started beating him...ugh..."

His head began to pound when that guilt climaxed into hate and disgust; he ignored Knuckles saying that he could stop, "Sonic and Sonia saw us and pulled us off of him, he was bruised and just laying there...staring at me like he knew I was s-so much better than that. He wasn't hurt as bad as I thought at the time, but...- It was chaos with people fretting over Silver and screaming at me and Scourge...it was even worse when Sonic and Sonia dragged me home..."

* * *

 _An April storm rumbled angrily outside and Manic couldn't help but feel it was like nature knew what was about to happen. His siblings and parents sat around the table; Tails had thankfully been at a friend's house that night. Sonic's fingers drummed erratically on the table and Sonia kept her eyes off everyone while only the raging storm outside broke the silence._

 _"Why did you do it, Manic?" his father finally asked._

 _Truth was, he had no answer._

 _"What? No answer?" Sonic snapped; his temper was blazing and he wouldn't be able to keep himself calm much longer. His eyes flared with a green fire and the realization of what he had done slowly dawned on him as he felt all those stares._

 _"Silver was one of your best friends." Aleena spoke slowly and her voice was quiet, "He didn't do anything wrong. You've been so unruly lately, but I never thought you would do anything like this..."_

 _"Unruly is a polite way of putting it, he's been a straight up asshole." cut in Sonic again with clenched fists, "Bullying others for no reason, purposefully skipping class just to piss off the teachers, stealing...and now /this/?!"_

 _"Sonic-"_

 _Their father was interrupted when Sonia put in her own opinion, "I'm with Sonic! You were so laid back and kind...what happened? I thought you were better than this."_

 _Suddenly, a chorus of shouting assaulted his ears while thunder continued to boom outside. Sonic had gotten to his feet and let his fury take control while Sonia and Aleena asked over and over why he had done something so awful. His father stayed stone silent and perhaps that was even worse. The noise grew too loud and Manic tried to cover his ears. Something was building up inside him and when he stood up, it erupted._

 _"You want to know what's wrong with me?! Lots of things, that's what! I'm sorry that I'm not amazing like Sonic and Sonia and I'm sorry that I'm so awful! What I've been doing this year is unacceptable and I know that; none of you would ever sink that low because you're so much better than me! You have every right to yell at me for hurting others just because I hate myself!"_

 _He stood there with angry tears rolling down his cheeks and silence once again settled over the family._

* * *

"Sonic was still angry with me longer than the others and it was like no oneed knew how to talk to me. Tension was still there and it was awkward for a long time and I felt like I was an outcast. I wasn't allowed to come back to school until near the end of the year and it was a miracle I wasn't kicked out. I could barely show m-myself at school, especially since Silver tried to talk to me so often. All I could do was blurt out an apology before running off; I couldn't face him. I didn't talk to Scourge for the rest of the year and the glares I got were much worse than they are now. This whole thing never would have happened if I'd just talked to someone instead of..."

Knuckles stood there and couldn't find words to say. He wasn't able to say anything before Manic was gripping his head like he was in pain. He took a few steps back, now almost in front of the steps, and his breathing was ragged; he felt heavy with guilt. It was all fresh in his memory now and he hated himself again. Stealing from others, insulting students, and attacking Silver just because he wasn't happy. His chest felt tight and he found it hard to breathe.

"Manic? Knuckles? You out here?"

Their friends had finally come outside and Sonia was looking around curiously near the top of the stairs. She spotted her brother and Knuckles quickly came out of hiding.

"There you two are!" Sonic stated as he cheerfully reached the bottom, "You ready to go home, Manic~?"

Sally was the first to notice Manic's pained expression and dull eyes, "...are you okay? What's wrong?"

She was at his side in no time and Knuckles refused to look at the others. Manic shook his head and forced himself to smile and chase away what he was feeling, "Oh, I'm just fine! Nothin' is wrong."

Sally's eyes flashed and she knew he was lying. Sonia and Sonic shared a concerned glance while Amy asked, "You sure? Are you not feeling well?"

"You guys worry too much!" Manic gave a grin and was determined to convince them that he was okay. He threw an arm playfully around Sally and winked, "C'mon, where's that excitement you guys had a few minutes ago?"

He wasn't going to ruin their cheer.

* * *

Manic lay curled up in his bed with his door locked. He hadn't spoken a word on the ride home or when he came in. A few knocks had rapped against his door but they ceased when whoever it was realized he wasn't going to open up. The room was plunged in darkness but Manic didn't care.

He couldn't stop remembering Silver's face as he took the beating, he couldn't stop remembering the yelling, he couldn't stop remembering everything. The combination of guilt and self-hate culminated in his chest and spread to the rest of him. He was disgusted with himself. It was reminiscent of how he felt last year.

His bad habits weren't the only things that would take time to fade.


	13. Fun

**This chapter is mostly filler, but I figured I should write something happy after the dramatic last chapter. It's mainly Sonic and Sonia trying to cheer up Manic. I may take a short break from this story to think about where it's going now that we know what Manic did. Don't worry though, it shouldn't last more than a few days! Oh, and for those who don't know what midnight bowling is (since it's in this chapter), it's late night bowling and they turn off the lights and blue lights turn on and make everything glow~ They'll also play really loud music. I've never been but I've heard it's fun.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Manic groaned quietly as he forced his eyes open and was greeted with glimmering rays of sunlight flooding into his room. He had to blink a few times and turned over, clumsily grabbing his phone to see what time it was. His eyes widened.

It was a little past one in the afternoon, but that wasn't what startled him. It was the several texts he had received right after they left the school last night to this morning. His vision was still a bit blurry but he made himself sit up and look through the messages.

Blaze had asked, 'Manic are you okay?'

'You seemed really upset after the game did something happen?' Sally had sent it probably before he locked himself in his room.

'Hey, is everything alright? Do you need to talk?' It was from Silver.

The green hedgehog couldn't hide his surprise to see that most of his friends had messaged him so fervently last night. They all either asked if he was okay and if he needed to talk. They were worried about him; despite all he had done. He sighed and plopped back down on his bed. He just didn't feel like moving.

* * *

"Come on, Manic, let's go!"

"But I don't want to..."

Manic was currently being dragged by Sonia outside and heading to the car, greeted by chilled air and a sea of stars above. Sonic was leaning against his car, his blue fur the only thing standing out in the lack of light as he was wearing mostly dark clothing. The oldest sibling gave a trademark smirk upon seeing Manic and Sonia, "Too bad, you're going anyway! You've done nothin' but sit in your room all day except come out occasionally for food or going to the bathroom. Besides, Sally would be real disappointed if you didn't show up!"

Manic flushed lightly as his sister finally reached the vehicle, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Sonic just laughed and watched Tails appear in the doorway. The fox smiled and waved, "See ya', guys! Have fun!"

"We will!" the cerulean teenager winked before getting into the driver's seat, Sonia sat beside him and Manic reluctantly got in the back. A steady frown seemed permanent on his face while Sonic pulled out of the driveway and headed down the road. Sonia was quick to turn the radio up and allow upbeat music to fill up the air. She tossed her gaze over her shoulder to stare at her unusually quiet brother, "Hey Manic, cheer up! I dunno what's gotten you so down, but I'm not going to let you be sad tonight~"

Sonic was as swift as his feet to chip in, "Sonia's right, we're gonna have fun tonight! Go to the bowling alley with friends, get something to eat, and we can do whatever else ya' want!"

Manic appreciated their kindness, but he just couldn't lift his mood.

* * *

The triplets walked inside the bowling alley and the sounds of pins toppling over filled the air. To the right was a small arcade where several children and a few teens desperately mashed buttons and had their eyes glued to the screen. The aroma of food drifted from the eating area towards the left, the bright tile a smart contrast to the calmer colors around the rest of the building. Knuckles and Sally were standing close to the arcade and spotted the hedgehogs instantly.

Sally smiled brightly and approached them, "Good to see that you made it! Now we just have to wait for Silver. Too bad Amy and Blaze couldn't make it, though..."

Knuckles stared at Manic for a moment and a silent apology glinted in his eyes. The green hedgehog nodded; he hadn't been angry with the echidna to begin with. Clearing his throat, Knuckles spoke up with a grin, "I actually have a cousin who works here, so maybe I can get us some discounts."

"Really?" Sonia perked up at that, "Oh! Tikal must be your cousin! Right?"

Knuckles nodded.

"Sorry I'm late!"

Manic turned to see Silver; the ivory hedgehog seemed slightly nervous but kept an optimistic expression either way. Manic kept his eyes off the younger teenager; he feared the memories may stir up again. Sonic dismissively waved off the apology, "Let's hurry up and get a lane before the place gets anymore crowded!"

While Knuckles talked to his cousin at the counter, Silver stood beside Manic and quietly asked, "Is everything okay?"

The concern deep in his eyes forced Manic to stare at the ground.

* * *

After succeeding in getting the prices lowered, the group was put on one of the first lanes. Sally was typing everyone's names into the computer and they filled up the form on the screen above. With a satisfied click of her tongue, she finished, "All done! Now we just wait for midnight bowling to start..."

The lights went dim and brilliant colors radiated from the pins on the alleys while variously colored lights began to dance about the room. Even the bowling balls were giving off a glow, varying in color from a deep purple to bright pink. Music began to flow from the speakers, the kind of songs playing that were difficult to get out of your head. There were cheers from those already playing. It'd been a while since the triplets had seen this sight and Silver was astounded, like a small child at the carnival, "Oh my gosh, look at all these lights! That's so cool!"

Sally laughed but Knuckles was looking around wildly, amethyst orbs wide and confused. He felt overwhelmed by the sudden activity. The blaring music pounded in his ears, but he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Sonia. She was giving him an understanding smile, "It's alright Knuckles, it gets really fun when we actually start playing."

He found himself believing her.

"Well, I get to start this off!" exclaimed Sonic, leaping to his feet and picking up his ball, now a dazzling blue similar to his own fur. He smirked as he approached the lane.

* * *

Manic found himself hitting his hands against the sides of his chair in tune to the music, feeling himself subconsciously losing the weight that kept him down all day. He was nowhere near regaining the attitude he normally had, but it was progress. It was hard to stay so low with Silver getting childishly excited about making a strike, Knuckles and Sonic's rivalry becoming more and more obvious as the game went on, and Sally staying close to him, wearing a grin and blue eyes bright.

"Whoo!" he heard his brother exclaim as he nearly wiped out the pins with his last turn, "Beat that, knucklehead!"

"Just watch me, furball." Knuckles smirked and stood up, lifting his heavy bowling ball with ease. Sonia laughed and rolled her eyes at the two. The echidna focused before practically launching it down the lane, eight pins falling over in defeat. Manic let out a low whistle, "If he gets those last two, he'll beat Sonic."

They all watched the red teenager's second roll miss both pins completely. He scowled and snapped his fingers while the arrogance surrounding Sonic increased tenfold. Sonia and Sally went next, both girls managing to get spares and a few extra pins, their scores only falling slightly behind Sonic's. Manic sighed when it was his turn and grabbed his multicolored bowling ball, almost thinking that if he touched it, it would leave paint on his gloves as it was glowing so vividly. He ended up hitting nine pins in total.

Sitting down beside Sally again, he watched Silver step up to the lane and to everyone's shock, get a strike. And then another. And another.

Sally stared in shock for a moment before laughing, "Sonic, I think Silver just broke your unbeaten record!"

"Whaa-?"

* * *

"Hey hey, come here guys! We have to take a picture!"

Sonia had taken out her phone and was ready, adjusting the camera on it. Knuckles gave an uncertain smile, "You sure we can all get in there?"

"Pfft, you clearly don't know me. I am a master at pictures, I'll make it work!" she teased.

Sonic naturally felt he had to be in the middle, so Sonia stood to his left and both of them wore a wide smirk. Knuckles stood behind them and put on a collected smile while Silver almost looked like a small child as he eagerly grinned at the camera. Manic let a genuine smile lighten up his expression as he stood on Sonic's other side, Sally held onto his arm and grinned cheerfully.

There was a click as the picture was taken.

"I told you I could do it."


	14. The Unexpected

**I'm so sorry for the wait, but my days that were meant to plan out this story became very eventful! I no longer think I'll be able to update once a day and I apologize for that; I am unsure when the next update will be simply because school is getting harder and my inspiration to write this story is wavering. But, I'm not discontinuing this story.**

 **This chapter introduces a seemingly new conflict and a little characterization toward the end. Thank you to Jellyfish Soup for pointing out that there are several characters who have had little said about their home life.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Manic calmly walked down the stairs leading out of the school, thankful his coat blocked out most of the chilling wind. The September air had dropped to a much more severe gust that came with October. It was strange, even though it had almost been a month since he told Knuckles about what he had done, he found himself on a fine line of emotions. He was far from being his old self, yet he wasn't necessarily depressed either. He would smile and laugh and make ridiculous jokes, but they were weak. They would make others believe he was faking them even though he wasn't. The green teenager had chalked it up to the guilt still weighing him down even though he didn't feel it intensely. It was just a phase; it would pass.

He reached the bottom and he was about to head to the car to wait for his siblings, planning to use Sonic's "I'm waaaaiting." phrase against him, but a voice stopped him. He turned his head.

"Hey there, old friend." Scourge adjusted his sunglasses as he leaned against the outside of the stairs. His expression was arrogant like normal, but there was something off about him.

Normally anger would bubble up inside him or he'd scowl, but Manic simply stood there without an answer. His neutral mood dulled most emotions. Scourge was quiet for a moment before he began to show signs of irritation, "What, you're not going to say anything?"

"Just leave me alone." Manic said with narrowed eyes, yet his tone was void of any real emotion "And if you're going to ask, no, I don't want to be friends with you again. I have plenty of good friends who don't want me to hurt others and who would never get me suspended. Just stop."

Both hedgehogs were startled by his words.

Manic realized he was essentially standing up to him, much like Silver had. Scourge must have noticed it too as something snapped and the front of Manic's shirt was grabbed while his vivid green eyes were being seared by flaming blue. There was a growl and Scourge spoke slowly and forcefully, "So you think you're so great now that you've 'straightened up your act'? It's like you're asking to end up like Silver."

Manic didn't even have time to react before there was a booming voice from the top of the stairs and a flurry of red shoved Scourge off of him. Knuckles looked absolutely livid with his twitching hands and anger flaring in his eyes; the way he was huffing was similar to a bull. He put Sonic's temper to shame.

Scourge stumbled back and barely caught himself before he lost his balance completely. His pointed teeth flashed as he went to snarl at his attacker, but he stopped when he realized who it was. Even he knew better than to pick a fight with the powerful echidna. He stepped back but threatened in a low voice, "You're gonna regret this, Manic."

"Yeah, you better scram!" Knuckles shouted after him, looking ready to charge after him at any moment. Manic would never get use to his protective nature.

"Are you okay? He didn't hurt you did he?" he had asked once Scourge left the premise. His amethyst-like eyes lost their flames and were now solely concerned.

"No, man, I'm fine..." Manic mumbled just loud enough for his friend to hear. He was more worried about what Scourge said.

* * *

"If Scourge ever pulls something like that again, you need to run and get one of us. Okay?"

Sonic's voice was tense as he drove, emerald gaze heated enough to burn through the windshield and. Sonia continued to glance at the speedometer. He had a habit of speeding and high emotions didn't exactly help solve that problem. Manic frowned at his brother's demand, "I can take care of myself, you know."

There was a few moments of silence and they could feel Manic's intense staring.

Sonia looked over her shoulder back at Manic, "We know, but I'm not sure you should risk getting in trouble."

Manic wanted to say that he wouldn't get in trouble if it was self-defense, but he found him agreeing with his sister. With the luck he'd had lately, she was probably right.

* * *

"So you're staying at Amy's place over the weekend?"

Sonia nodded as she tossed her backpack over her shoulder, now filled with everything she would need over the weekend. Her motorcycle key jingled in her hand, as if impatient to get on the road. She stared at Manic for a moment, "Blaze and Sally are coming over too."

Manic offered a faint smile that he had been wearing for the past month, "Be careful, sis. And have fun."

She suddenly lurched forward and hugged him. She wasn't sure how much of this drained Manic she could take. He was infuriating at times with his not-so-serious attitude and laid back personality, but that was much better than having him be unable to grin. The hug was slowly returned.

"Thank you."

* * *

Sonia and Amy sat on the latter's couch in the extravagant living room while they awaited their other friends. Amy's family had money to spare, so it was no surprise they had upgraded their house with shiny wooden floors and lavish decorations. Sonia occasionally found herself feeling a prick of jealousy, but she forced it away. There was a price to pay for her friend's lifestyle. Sonia had placed her heavy back beside her on the floor, scarcely paying attention to the reality show on the TV.

"Your parents still at work?" she asked as her emerald orbs landed on her younger friend.

That was when Amy did something unexpected. Her eyes drooped and a bitter laugh left her lips, "When aren't they?"

Sonia opened her mouth to speak, but lost any words to say. Even Amy in her infinite cheer had her limit; having to go day by day with scarcely catching a glance at her parents was tearing down her optimism and joy. It would drain anyone, really.

She gently put an arm around Amy in a slight hug, who just sat there motionless and sighed, "I know your family gets on your nerves, Sonia, but be grateful for them."

The doorbell rang.

* * *

Night had already fallen outside. Amy's father had come home but her mother was still hung up at work. The girls had changed into their pajamas and retreated to Amy's room hours ago.

"Hey, what kind of jobs do you guys want when you leave high school?"

Three pairs of eyes locked onto Amy. The question had come out of nowhere; Sonia was brushing the other pink hedgehog's hair while Blaze and Sally had been sitting on the floor near the edge of the bed, focused on the movie playing on the television. She raised a brow, "What?"

"That's such a sudden question, is all." Blaze voiced all their thoughts, but decided to go along with it, "This may sound odd, but I'd like to be something like a translator. I've never had much of a problem with the foreign language classes and I find them very interesting..."

"Kinda like Knuckles." Sonia chimed in while finally finishing Amy's hair, "He does very well in those classes too. I could see you doing that."

The feline's porcelain muzzle flushed a pale pink at the compliment, "Th-thank you, Sonia. What about you?"

"I don't really know." Sonia admitted with an uncertain tone, "I do really like volleyball, but I'm not sure if I'd be able to do it as a career. Also, I may not be taking band, but I still enjoy the piano too."

Sally looked over and laughed, "With how much you love taking pictures, maybe you could be a photographer."

"That's a good point. So, have you decided yet, Sally?"

The red-haired teenager gave an amused grin, "My dad's a principal and my mom's a secretary; it's almost like I'm destined to have a desk job~ But seriously, I want to work with computers. I have a knack for them."

That was true. If anyone had computer trouble, they went to Sally. Sonia wondered how she had learned so much about technology but never really bothered asking. Maybe it was just a natural talent.

"Personally, I want to cook." Amy chirped with clear jade eyes, "I practiced quite a bit over the summer and my dad says a make a mean chocolate cake!"

They all started to laugh, but then a buzzing noise puzzled everyone. Sonia glanced around until she realized it was her phone. She picked up the device to see Sonic had sent her a text.

 _'Hey, me and Manic are taking Silver and Knux to a haunted trail tomorrow night. Just thought you should know if you don't get a reply from us'_

 _'Heh, okay, hope you have fun!'_

"Who is it?" Sally asked curiously and it was clear by this point that no one was paying attention to the movie.

"Sonic. He said he and Manic were going to one of those haunted trails with Silver and Knuckles tomorrow night."

Amy instantly looked concerned, "I hope they'll be careful. I've heard some of those people go overboard just to scare guests."

"And Silver doesn't handle those sorts of things well..." Blaze chimed in with uncertain amber eyes.

Sonia just laughed.

"They're taking Knuckles with them. I'd be more worried about the workers."


	15. Chase

**Here's chapter 15! This is about the boys at the haunted trail. It's actually based off the one that's in the area I'm in~ We also get to see more protective Knuckles!**

 **You know, now that I think about, I wonder which ship will get together first. Hm...~**

 **One of the reviewers asked how old the characters are. Generally speaking, most are in 11th grade (16-17). There are some exceptions though. Shadow and Rouge are seniors (17-18), while Amy is in 10th grade (15-16). The triplets are 16 at the moment. Sorry for any confusion~**

 **Warning: Mild language at the end**

* * *

"Are you sure this is safe?"

Silver was sticking very close to Manic as they got out of Sonic's car; their shoes scraped against the loose gravel of the parking lot. The temperature had dropped considerably now that the sun had retreated for the day and allowed an inky darkness to cover the sky above. Thin pine trees littered the area, the lack of light almost making them appear as spindly creatures with boney claws to the paranoid.

Manic patted his friend's shoulder and offered a smile, "It's perfectly fine! I come here with Sonic almost every year and nothing bad has happened. It's just for a good scare."

"B-but..."

"Don't worry so much, Silv! They're not allowed to touch you or anything, so it's not like they're going to drag you away from the group or somethin'." Sonic reassured with his trademark smirk.

"Yeah, and if they do..." Knuckles hit his open palm with his other hand, which was balled in a fist, "They're getting a fist right in the face from yours truly."

It was difficult to not be comforted by that.

There was a small area before the trail actually began, consisting of logs surrounding a campfire to help ease the chill of the dropping temperature and two tents, one for ordering food and another containing nothing but horror memorabilia.

Sonic was quick to dash after the scent of food and Knuckles followed him while the other two hedgehogs sat by the fire. Wave and Honey were there to greet them at the counter; the feline was smiling cheerfully while the swallow wore her typical smug expression.

"Hey, you two. You guys here to make some extra cash?"

"You know it, Speedy." Wave laughed too much like Jet, "So, whatcha want?"

"Ah...can ya' make a chilli dog~?" Sonic asked smoothly, smirking and tilting his head.

"Yeah, whatever." the swallow rolled her eyes and turned to Knuckles, "You want anything or what?"

"I just want a bottled water..." Knuckles reached to pull out his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans, though Sonic was swift to stop him with a wave of a five dollar bill. The hedgehog winked, "Don't worry, I got it."

They shared a grin while Honey got to work with a swish of her tail.

They spotted Manic and Silver sitting on one of the logs, the green teenager texting away with a flickering smile but the youngest of them was staring off into the distance. Sonic had probably already eaten half of his chilli dog by the time they sat beside the other two; Knuckles just rolled his eyes at his cerulean friend. Sonic gently nudged his brother, "Who ya textin'?"

"Sally."

The response sparked a comment from Knuckles, "Still texting your girlfriend in a place like this? Heh."

Manic froze and his eyes widened. Sonic burst into a fit of laughter.

Knuckles looked genuinely confused.

* * *

It took a little while, but the four were allowed to travel the trail once they saw that the last group had exited from the other side. Sonic looked around to see if anyone else was going to have to join them or if they were allowed to go on their own. Manic felt someone tap on his shoulder and raised a brow at Silver, who appeared to be on edge, "That guy's been watching us this whole time..."

The green teenager had no idea who his friend was talking about until he noticed the figure standing close to the treeline. He was too far away to tell who it might be and the unsettling skeleton-like mask the stranger wore didn't help. Manic frowned; it was creepy, but wasn't that the point?

"Ignore him. He's just doing what he's supposed to do."

Silver made an unsure noise, but by then, a dark brown hyena was heading their way. She wore something similar to a ringleader costume, save for the fact that parts of it were torn and fake blood splatters covered it. Her jagged teeth made an appearance, "Are you boys the only ones going in?"

Knuckles nodded, though she still cast a pine green glance at those still sitting by the fire. Three human girls shook their heads and a canine seemed too busy enjoying his food to look over. The female hyena snorted but shrugged, "Well, that's that I guess. In you go, boys."

She pulled back the sheet they had hung up to hide the trail with a wide smirk and the friends entered.

* * *

The trail ended up being far more intense than anyone had anticipated. There had been sheets lining the first part of the trail, torn and dirty, and shadows of various people danced behind them. Screams were heard and deformed faces would be seen as they showed themselves between the curtains, begging for help in raspy voices, before disappearing again. Sometimes people dressed up as clowns would follow the four silently until they were spotted; then they would laugh and vanish into the trees. Chainsaws roared from the middle part of the trail and that was when Silver looked ready to bail any chance he got. While none of the weapons were seen, more figures were hidden behind sheets and the sound of flesh tearing grinded against their ears. Towards the end, a rickety wooden fence was on the left side of the trail that Knuckles kept glancing at oddly as small scratching noises could be heard from behind it. Just before the fence ran out, it gave a sudden jerk as something resembling a werewolf banged against it and snarled in the echidna's face. Knuckles gave out a startled shout and Sonic had to literally hold him back to keep him from punching the thing in the face.

"You boys better start runnin'! Someone's let the werewolves out!" their hyena guide had cried out with a mad cackle before she dashed on ahead.

They had been puzzled at first, then the furry creatures began to be spotted among the thin trees. Going along with it, the four bolted, startled when the canines actually appeared. Most darted in between the trees, though a few dared to run along the sides of the path, snarling and snapping like the real deals. Knuckles was still tempted to slug one if it got too close.

By the time they reached the end, Sonic and Manic were laughing breathlessly. Knuckles put a hand to his head with a large sigh of relief, though Silver was staring behind them as if he thought more masked figures would come after them. The guide seemed to have vanished into thin air.

"That was crazy; we should totally work at one of these things next time!" Sonic exclaimed with the thrilled spark still lighting up his emerald eyes.

Only Silver had noticed that the stranger wearing the skull mask had followed them throughout the trail.

* * *

Small pieces of gravel were kicked as the boys began to cross the parking lot. Knuckles had already reached it and was leaning against the passenger's side. He had to wait for the three hedgehogs as they explored the tent filled with horror memorabilia, from classic posters of old movies to unnerving figurines and masks. Sonic spoke as soon as he and his brother reached the echidna, "Man, there was some way past cool stuff in there."

Manic gave a dim smirk in agreement, but it was then that they noticed Silver wasn't with them. Knuckles stood up straight and scanned the dark pines for a sign of ivory, though it was Manic who found Silver first. The pale teenager's path was being blocked by a masked stranger, the same one from before. Silver's expression dripped of anxiety as he tried to get around the utterly silent figure, who continously copied his every move. Just as he finally got around him, an arm shot out and yanked him back, nearly forcing him off balance. Silver said something and tried to get away, but the person wasn't letting go.

Knuckles, with his protective nature, was the first to spring to life, charging like a wild animal and red dreadlocks whipping around. All he knew was that someone was threatening his friend and he was never able to stop himself once he realized something like that. He yelled and was quick to send a punch, which landed on the stranger's mask and a cracking sound snapped in the air. The band holding it to the other's face broke; it clattered to the ground and verdure quills sprung loose. Manic instantly pulled his frightened friend away. His emotions broke through his neutral state in that moment.

"Scourge, what the hell?!" Sonic asked with a furious tone filling his voice to the brim.

"Hnng..." Scourge groaned and put a hand to his cheek, an ugly bruise already forming from his attacker's fist. He forced a blue eye open and took a step back as he realized he was outnumbered, "Damn you."

"What did Silver do to you?! What are you even doing here?!" Manic's voice rose to an infuriated pitch that surprised everyone, "I oughta kick your ass!"

He snarled and stepped forward, ready to swing at the other green hedgehog, but Scourge turned tail and ran into the trees. He fled just like before. Knuckles hollered a few colorful curses before running after him. His scarlet shape soon disappeared from sight, but Sonic's voice snapped Manic out of his livid state.

"Are you okay?" Sonic gently grabbed Silver's shoulders and his green eyes were intense with worry. The paler hedgehog numbly nodded, at a loss for words. His golden orbs were lost in the past, the days where being grabbed and harassed by Scourge was part of the routine. Sonic hesitantly accepted the answer and Manic frowned. If Scourge was wanting revenge on Manic, why go after Silver?

While Manic mumbled something to Silver, Sonic sighed and returned his gaze to the forest. He knew Knuckles wouldn't be able to catch up to Scourge, but nothing was going to keep him from trying.


	16. Bitter Wind

**This chapter is shorter than the ones I've been writing recently; I apologize for that. But again, thank you all so much for the reviews and I'm glad you're all enjoying it! I'm still surprised a spur of the moment story has gotten so far.**

 **Interesting how you guys think that Knuckles and Sonia will get together first~**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"Scourge did what?!"

Sonia's sudden outburst surprised her friends; Sally glanced up from her phone while Blaze and Amy tore their gazes from the soap opera rerun on the television. Her hand curled into a fist and wrinkled the pale sheets, green orbs showing embers of a rising fire.

"That's what I thought! Knuckles got him off Silver before he took off into the woods. Knuckles chased after him, but he never caught up to him."

She put a hand to her forehead and ran her fingers through her pink hair at her blue brother's explanation, "Well, you better believe he's going to get a piece of my mind on Monday. He won't get away from me."

Sally and Amy glanced at each other, the hedgehog wearing concern and the brown-furred girl more puzzled than anything. A few more words were exchanged before Sonia put down her phone and groaned, "Seems they can't even go out to have fun at this point..."

"What happened?" came Amy's question, jade pools swimming with worry, "No one got hurt did they?"

"Scourge showed up."

Amy put a hand over her mouth and Blaze's tail fluffed out in alarm. Sally was the first to speak, "Did he do anything to Manic?"

"No. He went after Silver, but Knuckles ran him off before anything happened..."

The look on Blaze's face was terrifying.

* * *

Sonic and Manic sat in the latter's room, the door closed and the air crackling with tension. The cerulean brother was pacing back and forth, expression tight and radiating with barely restrained anger. Manic sat on the side of his bed, bangs partially hiding his eyes. Save for Sonic's shoes grazing against the wooden floor, it was quiet. Thoughts went unspoken and eye contact wasn't made.

Sonic was the first to speak up as he jerked to a stop, "We can't let this be a repeat of last year."

Manic flinched. He knew what Sonic meant, but it still made ripples stir to life in his otherwise motionless pool of guilt.

Sonic started pacing again, teeth grinding, "This is the exact same nonsense Scourge pulled last time, going after Silver outside of school. Scourge didn't actually hurt him last night, but that was because we were there. We can't let him get hurt like last year, but we can't be by his side all the time."

Manic's fury died down after last night and was replaced with an anxious knot in the pit of his stomach. He knew his ivory friend was scared and, while not defenseless, just couldn't protect himself like Sonic or Knuckles. He didn't know what he'd do if Scourge cornered him like last year.

"Damn it. I need to get out." was all Sonic hissed before stomping out of the room. Manic knew that he was going to find somewhere to run, or at least get some fresh air. It was the only thing that would settle down his brother's emotions once they were stirred. Sonic liked to act so collected and in control, but even he was vulnerable to emotions. He wasn't just angry; he was worried out of his mind and felt he had to fix any problem that came along.

Manic stayed where he was and continued to let his mind bubble with thoughts. Was there anything they could do about Scourge? He still couldn't understand why he was targeting Silver. Sure, he would keep quiet due to his meek nature, but last year should have made him avoid the pale hedgehog at all costs. Why did Scourge act the way he did anyway? No one had been truly cruel to him that Manic could recall, especially not the ones he enjoyed harassing the most. A surprising amount of students acted relatively friendly towards him even now. There was absolutely no need to act so cruel.

But then Manic remembered he had been the exact same way.

* * *

Sonic let himself sit down on the nearby bench and catch his breath. The park was the only place in town with a decent place to run other than school. There was a nicely paved path surrounding the pond in the center that could be used to run or jog, while a playground was on a grassy area on the opposite side of the park. Sonic was thankful for that as he didn't have to worry about bumping into any kids.

He had been taking in the sight of the brightly colored leaves that covered the ground when a familiar, snobbish voice grated against his ears.

"Well, well, if it isn't Sonic."

A dark green hawk was strolling toward him; his beak was curled into an arrogant smirk. Sonic had to keep himself from groaning in annoyance. He wasn't in the mood to deal with the haughty bird. Pushing his seething thoughts to the back of his mind, he said, "I didn't think I'd see you here, Jet."

"Same to you! Come here to brush up on your running? You're gonna need it this year!"

Sonic didn't bother humoring him with a response, simply turning his head and staring out at the pond.

"What, did you not hear me? Sheesh! Are you going to lose your hearing along with your title as the fastest kid in town?"

Jet's features fell when his rival refused to say anything. He tilted his head and asked in a voice that Sonic guessed was supposed to be worried, "Is everything okay?"

The hedgehog turned his head to the other. He wasn't going to tell Jet of all people what was going on. So, he simply grinned, "Of course!"

Unsure but deciding to accept it, Jet carelessly shrugged, "Whatever, hedgehog. I'll see you at school, I guess."

"Yeah."

* * *

Sonic walked as slowly as he could back down the path, though it was still pretty hasty. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his hoodie and the sudden bitter gust of wind made his eyes sting. He complained about track not starting until the spring, but it was times like this when he realized why. He tried to keep his eyes down, but his head shot up when he spotted someone coming from the opposite direction.

"Shadow!"

The red-streaked hedgehog paused and could barely blink before the younger teenager stood before him. Sonic had his chance to ask why he quit. Again.

"Not you again..." Shadow muttered.

"Shadow, we need to talk." Sonic's tone drifted between annoyance and urgency. He heard the other grumble something, but took the opportunity when Shadow didn't keep walking, "I need to know. Why did you quit?"

"Things change. It's as simple as that." Shadow rolled his garnet eyes like the younger hedgehog was a toddler asking if the sky was blue, "Now will you stop pestering me about it?"

Sonic wanted nothing more than to believe him and accept that he was simply no longer interested. But when he remembered their races, there was no way that could be true. They would run to the best ability to try and beat the other; there was a mutual respect between the two no matter how often one's stubbornness would agitate the other. They brought out the very best in each other's abilities.

Just as Sonic was about to snap out a retort, he stopped and his stomach dropped. A thought crossed his mind before being spoken.

"Is it my fault?"


	17. So Many Emotions

**Oh goodness, that was the longest wait for a chapter, huh? That's the worst part about having limited access to the Internet. Anyway, this chapter has mostly hints of shipping and nudges at a turning point in the story.**

 **Now that I think about it, I wonder how many chapters this story will end up being. Eh...**

 **It's interesting how many of you are surprised by Manic x Sally; I was too when I first caught wind of it. I'm a big fan of the unconventional and rare ships, so don't be surprised if you see more from me!**

 **Thank you all again for the reviews; they make me really happy and encourage me to continue this story! Here's a question for all of you: who's your favorite Sonic character? Not necessarily in this AU, but in general. I'm just curious~**

 **Like last time, flashbacks are italicized.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Sonia angrily walked inside Green Hill High, boots slapping the dulling tile and fists clenched. One look at her and it was clear to everyone that she meant business with her hard expression and focused green eyes. She wasn't bluffing when she told her friends she was going to give Scourge a piece of her mind. All she had to do was find him. Truth was, she was scared. Not of Scourge, but rather fearful for Manic and Silver. They had both been so happy before he came into the picture. Though this anxiety turned itself into anger and pushed her to do the reckless. That was what usually happened.

She stopped in her tracks when she noticed a green figure in the corner of her eye. Scourge was already sitting in his desk, though apparently Blaze and Amy had beaten her to confronting him. The lavander feline's collected expression was unreadable, yet Amy's jade eyes reflected the anger she felt inside. Sonia put her backpack in her chair before joining her friends, hands on her hips once she stood by Blaze.

Scourge had his left hand on his cheek in an attempt to make it look like he was just propping his head up, but the girls already knew about the bruise. The hedgehog looked them over while wearing a prideful sneer, "Well, seems the girls are all over me today."

"Shut it." Sonia snapped, slamming her hands on his desk, "Now tell me this; why were you harassing Silver this weekend? Didn't you learn anything from last year?"

"We already asked him." Blaze said as calmly as she could, "He says he was just doing his job at the haunted trail."

"And it's the worst excuse!" Amy hollered with a shrill voice; a few of the other students already seated in the room jumped out of surprise, "They were already outside of the trail, and besides, the workers aren't allowed to touch the guests!"

Scourge flinched at her high-pitched retort and rubbed an ear with his free hand, "Keep the volume down, sheesh. Look, you girls can think whatever the hell you want, but in the end there's nothing you can do. So why don't you just run along and stop bothering me?"

It took every ounce of self-control Sonia had to not give Scourge several more bruises right then.

* * *

Manic tossed his backpack next to his desk before heading for Silver; the pale hedgehog kept his head down like he was too afraid to make eye contact. His yellow eyes peered up at Manic's green ones, offering a smile, "Hi, Manic."

"Are you okay?" He spoke quickly and he realized the roles had switched from when he almost stole something from the mall. This time, he was bubbling with concern and his friend was feeling down. He knew Silver must be feeling very cautious at this point, his old habits from last year were probably being brought back to the surface after the haunted trail incident.

Silver stared before sighing and letting his optimistic mask drop, "I'm kinda scared, not going to lie. And Blaze is really mad about the whole thing. She keeps asking if I'm okay and saying she'll keep Scourge away from me. But, I'm going to go out with her on Friday so at least that'll help take both our minds off of it...-"

"Wait. What?"

Silver's cheeks lit up with embarrassment as he realized what he had just said. His eyes widened and he didn't say anything. The green hedgehog spoke without thinking, "You and Blaze are dating-?"

"Shh!" Silver looked around rapidly, on edge to see if anyone else had heard "Don't blurt it out like that..."

Manic let a smirk grow on his lips. He knew it.

"Since when?"

"..."

* * *

"Sonia? Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I'm just fine."

Sonia's voice was tight and forced. Knuckles frowned as he followed the female hedgehog down the hall, her movements stiff like her anger had hindered her ability to walk. The few sparse students who still wandered the halls stared at the two oddly until they lost interest and went on their way.

"Don't lie, Sonia. Listen, I know how mad you are, but..."

She stopped in her tracks and the echidna nearly bumped into her. Her green orbs narrowed and sparked like emeralds filled with anger, "If you're trying to give me anger management advice, shouldn't you apply it to yourself first?"

The sharp comment made him freeze before he crossed his arms and looked away. Sonia instantly felt bad a jab of guilt pierced through her clouded emotions. She sighed quietly. Just because she was upset gave her no right to snap at him. He just wanted to help. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. It's just I thought Scourge was going to leave us alone after he got in so much trouble last year, but..."

Knuckles was looking at her again, violet eyes unreadable as he noticed the distraught expression that was slowly showing itself on her face.

She ran a hand through her pink hair and quills, feeling her emotions get the best of her. She didn't really care that she was at school at this point, "I'm just so worried about Manic and Silver. What if he goes out of his way to hurt them again? They've been through enough and I just don't understand why Scourge can't leave us alone-"

Her rising voice jerked to a stop as strong arms wrapped themselves around her. Mind and heart suddenly running a million miles an hour, she found that she could make no sound and her mouth hung open. Knuckles spoke in a low tone, "I'm sorry too. You have every right to be mad. I'll do everything I can to make sure our friends don't get hurt."

Sonia wasn't given the chance to return the hug before Knuckles jumped back with apologetic eyes and a faint blush. He put up his hands, akin to when they first met, "S-sorry! That was uncalled for! I just don't like seeing you so upset..."

Sonia's lips lifted into a soft, comforting smile, yet she still couldn't find words to say.

* * *

"Hey Knuckles, what do your parents do for a living?" Manic asked his friend as he sat next to him at the lunch table. The crimson teenager glanced over at him before grinning, "My old man's a security guard and my mom specializes in jewelry; she makes it."

Manic let out a low whistle. Sonia's eyes lit up with interest before she joked, "Your mom is free to make me some anytime, you know."

He laughed and the two stared for a few heartbeats, almost like they were trying to communicate without words. Manic raised a brow. Did he miss something?

"Are you okay, Sonic?"

Amy's question brought attention to Sonic, who had a troubled look edging his normally carefree personality. He was picking at his food, but looked up. His eyes were those of a clueless detective, trying to find any hint that could help him, "I tried talking to Shadow again yesterday."

Sally glanced around for said hedgehog before asking, "Did he say why he quit...?"

* * *

 _Shadow's annoyance was suddenly replaced with bewilderment, "What?"_

 _"Did I do something to make you quit?" Sonic's mind was running as fast as his feet, wild thoughts bouncing inside his head, "Was it my attitude? Did I say something to you? C'mon, you gotta tell me!"_

 _Shadow squinted at the distraught hedgehog and his jaw shifted. The two ignored anyone who went by and stared at them strangely. Sonic felt his stomach tighten in knots. He didn't know what he'd do if he caused his rival to give up. He could hear the words ringing in his ears even though they hadn't been spoken._

 _"As insufferable as you can be, I didn't quit because of you." Shadow rolled his garnet eyes and was obviously agitated, "The real reason is frankly none of your business."_

 _"It's my business if it was so bad you gave up running!" Sonic retorted, his sense of blaming himself blown away by a need to know what happened, "I promise I won't tell anyone."_

 _"No you won't, because I won't tell you. It's personal and you don't need to know. Just leave it alone."_

* * *

Manic scowled as his messy pile of books and binders toppled over; though he rolled his eyes and tossed one last text book in there. He would fix it some other time. Silver and Blaze walked past. The green teenager clicked his tongue and winked at the two, causing Silver to blush and puff his cheeks out childishly while Blaze just looked confused. He chuckled and closed his locker, the clanging sound almost echoing from the near empty hallway.

He adjusted his backpack slung over his shoulder and began to walk, silently remembering that Sonia had practice today. He hoped his sister could still stay focused and not let everything that was going on effect her performance. After all, their last game was coming up soon.

The chill that greeted Manic once he stepped outside made him shudder; sometimes he questioned if wearing a coat did any good. Before he could head down the steps, a voice hit his ears and caught his attention. It sounded like Scourge.

"Well, I was planning to go somewhere after school. Why?"

There was a short pause.

"No. Of course not. Why would you-?"

Curious, Manic found the source once he quietly got to the bottom of the steps, seeing the other green hedgehog close to the corner of the school. The bruise was still there, an ugly dark color that begged for attention.

"Please, I just-"

He noticed the frustrated frown that was appearing on Scourge's muzzle and the exhausted edge in his voice that wasn't easily noticed. It sounded as if he had been easily carrying something, but it grew heavier and heavier as time went on and was draining him.

"Fine. Whatever. You're being completely unreasonable, though."

Scourge ended the call and shook his head, staring up at the sky as if it might give him the answer to some lifelong question. His phone slid into his pocket, then he trudged into the mostly empty parking lot.

Manic watched him leave and briefly wondered what he might be going through.


	18. This is Halloween

**Another long wait! Unfortunately I don't have a schedule as to when I'll be updating this story and with another idea for a story (about Scourge ironically enough), I can't say how often new chapters will be published.**

 **This is the Halloween chapter! It's Manic and Sonia centric, more shipping moments, and again nudges at the turning point for this story. Another character makes their appearance too. They won't be a major character, but I have my reasons for adding them~ The next chapter will be very interesting, aha...**

 **Also, one of my readers pointed out that in Sonic Underground that Knuckles does indeed have family. My apologies, I had not thought of that when thinking of the other characters' background.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

It was Halloween.

The sky outside was painted with peach, pink, and lavander, mixing together to create a beautiful scene before night covered it with an inky blackness. Quite a few kids were already dressed and walking the streets and Manic knew Tails would be among them soon. The green hedgehog chuckled quietly before he moved away from the window and plopped back down on his bed.

His phone buzzed as Silver returned his text.

 _'Are you still on that?'_

 _'Yes I am. Can't believe you two have been dating since June and you didn't tell us :P'_

 _'Well Blaze didn't really want it to be an obvious thing she's not really comfortable with that kinda stuff'_

Manic could see that. In all her kindness and independence, the feline was reserved around new faces. Of course she wouldn't want to draw unnecessary attention herself.

 _'Well alright. I won't tell the others if you don't want me to. But you're going to have to spill eventually.'_

The next time his phone buzzed with a text, it was from Sally.

 _'Hey Manic! Do you guys want to go do anything tonight? I'm free all weekend.'_

 _'Hey yourself. Uhh I dunno, Sonia's been complaining all day that she's still sore from last night's volleyball game and I think Sonic is gonna have to take Tails trick-or-treating'_

 _'Well what about you? We could go somewhere.'_

Manic blinked in surprise and paused for a moment before he grinned playfully.

 _'Like a date? You should have told me sooner'_

 _'Not like that you dork! :P I was just thinking we could go to the mall or something'_

 _'Pssh I know, I'm just teasing ya. Sure, I'll head that way right now'_

 _'See ya there :)'_

Manic jumped up from his bed, mind still on Sally.

* * *

"Are you sure you two will be okay?"

Sonic laughed at his mother's question, tossing a reassuring smile over his shoulder, "We'll be just fine! We're not going all that far anyway."

Tails stood by the blue hedgehog, dressed as a scientist complete with an oversized lab coat that nearly covered up his hands completely. His white muzzle flashed a grin very similar to Sonic's, "Yeah! We'll be safe and I'll have a lot of fun!"

Aleena glanced between the two and gave a defeated sigh, "Ah, alright. Just be careful."

"We will. Now go get some rest and don't worry~"

Their mother laughed a bit, keeping her gaze on them for a moment longer, before nodding and disappearing upstairs. But before the two could head out the door, Manic hurriedly scrambled down the stairs, green bangs bouncing with the same energy and earrings making the faintest sound. Sonic gave him an odd look, "What's the rush? Got a hot date?"

"Actually," his green brother began once he reached the bottom, "I need to borrow the car! I'm going to meet up with Sally."

Sonic and Tails instantly glanced at each other before shooting Manic a knowing look, lips curled into smirks and brows raised suspiciously.

"N-not like that!" Manic retorted in a cracking voice, using Sally's words as a defense. The youngest of the three laughed innocently at the whole situation before chiming in, "But see, I'm a scientist and I definitely know that's what it's like!"

Sonic laughed at the fox's teasing and loved how he was picking up on his traits as of lately. Though, he dug through his coat pocket before tossing keys at his flustered sibling, "There ya go. I'll tell Mom where you're goin'."

"Thanks, dude!" Manic grinned before heading out the door into the chilly air, nipping at his ears and nose.

"Make your move, bro!" Sonic called out after him, leaning against the doorframe looking as smug as ever. Tails poked his head out too and waved goodbye.

"There's no move to make!"

* * *

Every muscle in Sonia's body ached and the last thing she wanted to do was move. There was a dull thumping under her skin; it was times like this when she disliked such intense games. Then again, they had given it their all and enjoyed the thrill of victory so perhaps she shouldn't complain so much. She heard a commotion before hearing Manic loudly shut his door and she briefly wondered what her brother could possibly be up to.

She was left alone with her thoughts for a few moments and knew she couldn't just lay there during Halloween; it wasn't helping her soreness either. She should at least go outside. The park was only a short walk away and it wouldn't be too crowded as no festivities were being held there. Just as she decided to do that, her phone quietly played her ring tone and she sat up to answer it, "Hello?"

"Hey, Sonia. It's Knuckles."

Her heart sped up a little, but she tried to ignore it by getting off her bed and slipping on her boots, "Hi! What's up?"

"My cell phone's acting up so I'm having to resort to using the house phone." he joked from the other end.

The hedgehog adjusted the device between her shoulder and head, "Aw, that's no good. Phones are so dumb sometimes."

"Heh. Yeah. But uh...I wanted to see how you were doing. You looked really tired after the game yesterday."

She caught the tinge of nervousness edging his voice and she felt herself blush weakly, "Aw, that's sweet of you! I'm still sore, but I'm going to go walk. It'll get worse if I just lay around. Least, that's my logic."

"Oh. I see. I hope you feel better."

"Thanks." Sonia softly replied, now digging through his closet to find something to cover her arms. It had gotten very cold now that Halloween had rolled around, from what she heard from her brothers earlier that day.

"S-Sonia...?"

"Yes, Knuckles?"

She had already slipped on a cozy burgundy coat over her sweater by the time her friend finally answered.

"...nothing! Never mind; I'll talk to you tomorrow-"

He abruptly hung up left a very puzzled Sonia staring at her phone.

* * *

"I have a question."

Manic and Sally were wandering around the grand mall, watching the many trick-or-treaters excitedly scrambling around with candy in their sights. Staff were set up in front of stores and in the wide paths, various treats in bowls and bags. There were other people there too, much like the two Mobians, simply wanting to explore the stores out of boredom.

"And what would that be, Sally?"

The brown-furred girl kept her eyes on him for a moment before speaking, "Are you okay?"

That question rubbed Manic oddly and made him stop, green orbs locking with her blue ones. She was wearing a heavily concerned look that dulled her normally playful features. He didn't like that.

"What? Of course. Why would you ask something like that?"

"You know why." Sally started with severity, "With everything. With all the looks you still get and with Scourge causing you trouble again."

It was like the two were in their own world, unaware of the happily squealing children and ringing of pointless chatter. They just stared while their thoughts and emotions were stirred to life. Manic felt his jaw move and he sighed, "C'mon Sally, I'm fine. Really. Let's just have fun for now. Okay?"

She still had doubt written in her eyes but there was no point in pushing the subject. All the girl could do was just hope he would talk to someone if anything was wrong. She worried about him too much.

They continued walking and acted like the conversation never happened. Manic pointed out costumes and Sally would laugh as he made light-hearted jokes about them. When he picked fun at something, it was never truly mean and was never meant to offend anyone. He just wanted to have fun. It seemed that Manic's talent was making others smile.

Sally was examining her friend's attire, blue gems darting from his dark pants and shirt under his red vest, to the spiked wristbands and earrings gleaming in his left ear. She blinked a few times before commenting in a teasing voice, "With the way you dress, maybe you could say you're dressed as a rock star and get candy."

"Really?"

The bad thing was that it was impossible to distinguish if he questioned it in a joking way or in an innocent, genuinely curious sense. Before anything else could be said, the hedgehog grinned and headed straight for the closest store, eyes on one of the staff members handing out candy.

"Manic, I was joking!"

* * *

After wandering the park for a while, the sky slowly darkened. The area was mostly abandoned save for the occasional parent taking their child trick-or-treating somewhere past the park. Sonia noticed that she had felt better after walking around, but searched for some place to sit, eventually spotting a bench. The bench was already partially occupied. A reddish-brown fox in a brown coat and black pants sat hunched over slightly, blue eyes staring out over the glimmering pond and a cute yellow bow in her auburn hair. She appeared stiff like she was mad and her mouth was neither in a smile nor frown, instead a simple line that gave away nothing. Her tail was twitching in annoyance.

Sonia was slightly intimidated by the frustrated atmosphere surrounding the girl, but she pressed forward, giving the vixen a polite smile along with a joking tone, "Hello. Am I allowed to sit here?"

"Whatever." The stranger hadn't even bothered to look at her.

Slightly caught off guard and tempted to give a smart retort, Sonia simply sat down next to the tense fox and let her green eyes take in the sight of the pond. It was very dark by now and had it not been for the low crime rate in the Green Hill area, she would have booked it back home the moment the sun slid under the horizon. The water rippled and stirred as gusts of cool air rushed by silently, not helping with the growing awkward quietness between the two girls.

A sudden and faint glow appeared in the corner of Sonia's eye, causing her to turn her head. The fox's phone had gone off, but it only made her more annoyed and she muttered something under her breath. She huffed and clicked a button, the screen going black and it was silent again.

"You seem mad." Sonia hesitantly started, stating the obvious, "Something wrong?"

Her green orbs were met with the fox's cerulean ones, who said, "Boy troubles. Nothin' to worry yourself with."

There was another bout of silence and Sonia thought. This girl had to be around her age but not once had she seen her around the school. She knew the vixen had to be from the only other school in the area that she knew of, Mobius High. Wanting to end the awkwardness but not quite wanting to go home yet, she cleared her throat, "I'm Sonia; I go to Green Hill High School."

It was a few moments before her hand was taken. The girls shook hands and the stranger blandly introduced herself, "Name's Fiona Fox and I go to Mobius High. Good to meet you, I guess."

She knew it. She gave a polite smile despite the other's dull tone and placed her hand back on her lap, "I know a little about boy trouble. You can tell me if you like."

This was true; she had dated before. None of them lasted long for different reasons, but she felt she at least could attempt to help this frustrated female. She crossed her legs and looked expectantly at Fiona, tilting her head to the side slightly.

Fiona side-eyed her and clearly wasn't trusting her, only saying, "I broke up with him yesterday and he won't stop texting me since we don't go to the same school."

Her phone suddenly lit up again.

"See?"

"If he goes to my school, I can give him a piece of my mind. What's his name?" Sonia raised a brow and wasn't afraid to give anyone a piece of her mind. She ignored the sudden gust of cold wind and stared at Fiona.

"His name is Scourge. And don't bother."

* * *

"Can I talk to you about something, Sally?"

Manic suddenly asked while the two walked out into the parking lot, wiping a little bit of chocolate off the corner of his mouth. He had in fact gotten some candy, much to the amusement of both of them.

"Of course, what is it?" Sally replied with a gentle smile.

He paused and tried to rehearse how he was going to say this. If he messed up, he could end up sending the wrong message and the last thing he needed was anymore problems. It was something that had been sitting restlessly in the back of his mind.

"I've been thinkin'." he began slowly, choosing his words carefully, "The reason I acted so awful last year was because I was jealous and didn't like myself. So, I wondered, why does Scourge act the way he does? Did he go through something really bad? Is he still? It's no real excuse to harass others, but..."

He wasn't entirely sure if he felt sympathy for Scourge, considering he had no clue about the other's past, but he never liked the thought of anyone going through a rough time. It didn't matter who they were; it effected everyone in one way or another. What if Scourge was going through something like Manic was? After all, he had claimed to know how he felt.

Manic forced his gaze to trail back over to Sally and was puzzled by the look she was giving him. Her lips were tugged into a small but genuine smile, lifting up her features and her blue eyes glowed like the clear sky that was no longer above. She spoke in a voice that Manic couldn't define, "That's the Manic I know."


End file.
